Comfort Zone
by Fantasmarific Amalia
Summary: This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed. She is 16, and a sophomore. Being completely stressed with school and a major supervillain in love with her mother, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family. LashOC
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I last had created a story…but I'm back, with a whole new type of obsession. : LashOC, **baby**. I deleted my last stories, but that's only because I knew I would never finish. I'm sorry, but I believe that this would be for the best.

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Disclaimer – I don't even plan on thinking that I own Sky High. Please, I don't even own the movie. . But I do plan on taking ownership to Crystal. She is the only one I ownnnn.**

**And in thoughts to that, I thank myself, and my creative mind. Whoo. Go ahead and read…review if you like. I'd prefer that too. : **

**----**

I never enjoyed being Spencer's sister. Always being picked on throughout my years of school, and it's still there, while I'm here as a sophomore of Sky High.

My name is Crystal Mack, and my brother is known all around school as Speed. But I for one, will never say his name his real one in school, for fearing my life is sort of new. If anyone who's alive, they know that "Speed" is best friends with Lash. Otherwise known as well, Lash. Yes, he was born with the name of Lash. Lash and Spencer have been friends since probably 4th grade. It's really odd, but that's the year they found out about their superpowers. I was only in 2nd, and I was still 'normal'. Lash told me himself he found his power when he reached over to another kid's desk and knocked over their books when they weren't looking…2 rows of children over. Spencer bragged about his when he got our bus the day he got powers.

"I won a race by 3 laps! It was like time stopped completely!"

When I reached the fourth grade, I expected my powers to show up like they had done Spencer and Lash. They didn't.

Junior High came, and day after day, Spencer and Lash would tell stories of how great the school in the sky was. Mother was getting mad whenever she would see me frown. For in the 7th grade, I had no powers.

"Maybe our child isn't going to **get** powers, Mary," my father said one night. I sat on the stairs overhearing their conversation, and I began to cry silent tears. Lash stretched down the stairs to sit next to me, and had adjusted his lounge pants. Friday nights Lash slept over. Fridays were fun nights. He dragged me back up the stairs and told me to tell him what was wrong while Spencer took a long shower.

I told him about my parent's conversation over me, and I had become angry as they spoke. He listened, but when we heard the water in the bathroom stop, we nodded to each other and walked to our separate rooms.

He had told me to keep up hope…that I'd get them soon. I went back to my room and shut the door, wiping the last salty tear from my face.

In any hope, I'd at least be a sidekick. I'd be like so many others, but unlike so many more.

**The next morning shocked everyone.**

----

"Speed! Come check this out man!" Lash called, as he opened up Crystal's door. There were some sounds of crashing and things whizzing past the cracks in the doorframe.

"What the hell is it Lash? Do you ever know what time it is?" Spencer said, trying his best to pick out the crusts from his eyes.

"I got up to get something to eat, but check this out!" Lash tried to get his friend to notice what was going on.

"Man its 3:15 on a Saturday MORNING – what is so imp – whoa. Get mom and dad."

He stretched to the downstairs floor and knocked loudly on their door. He knocked until the door reached a crack open and their father stepped out.

"Lash, what's the emergency, kid?"

"It's Crystal!" he practically yelled, running back up the stairs in awe once more.

"Holy -!" Spencer's dad, Michael yelled. Mary came shortly after, calling her daughter's name from the doorframe.

Michael jumped into the room, careful not to step on anything moving, and anything flying in circles around his only daughter. He got to her, and looking in amazement at how she was floating above her own bed 3 feet in the air.

"Great Aunt Sue…" Mary whispered. She shook her head, getting back to reality quickly. "Michael, darling, hold her up, but have someone…Lash, go over to Mike and gently shake Crystal. She should wake easily." Lash looked at Mary in horror.

"What?!" "Just go Lash!" Spencer cried, holding onto the wall so he wouldn't fall over from disbelief. He rushed in and jumped past her bed, over fallen books and faced opposite Crystal's father, second guessing his strength and yet still willing to help. As he faced the sleeping girl before him, he began to shake her arm, muttering "wake up…wake up Crys!" multiple times. Lash thought of different ways, like shaking her foot, ruffling her hair, and even poking her back. But in the end he figured it out; her side. No shaking would wake her – so what about tickling? Placing even the smallest touch to her side would make her fly into fits of giggles and laughter.

When he stroked her side, she flinched, squinting her eyes and everything in the room stiffened, and became quiet. Michael had a grip on his falling daughter, and set her down gently on her bed.

"Thank you Lash," he looked towards him nodding and continuing to try and catch up with what just had happened.

Later that morning around 9:30, Crystal was seated at the table with a stack of Belgian waffles in front of her. She tied back her hair and began to reach for the syrup, but retaliated when she saw it move closer to her. Spencer looked at her in curiosity of why she did such a thing, but then the memory of the early morning came back to him. Lash sat across from him, eating a piece of pancake, glancing her way every so often. He felt odd, knowing she had some sort of power, but also guilty because she herself hasn't found out yet.

She looked around the table at everyone before brushing off what she 'thought she saw." Her mother looked up at her daughter nervously and asked her son if he had any homework to complete.

"Did it in detention." He said, finishing off his breakfast and putting his plate in the sink. "C'mon Lash. Let's go play video games," he told his friend, who collected his own plate and stretched up the stairs to set up the game console.

Crystal who was still half asleep and half spooked about the whole syrup incident picked up one of the waffles on her plate and dropped the rest onto her father's plate, who thanked her as she walked up the stairs.

She stood in the doorway to her brother's room and waited for one of the boys to invite her in. When she got the welcoming wave from Lash she went and sat on the ladder of Spencer's bunk bed. Lash came over so much that her brother decided he needed another bed for his closest friend. Crystal looked a bit bored when she watched them play video games.

"Did you guys…you know, hear something last night?" She asked them, nibbling on her waffle.

"Hear as of what, you ask?" Lash said, pausing the game. Spencer looked back at her as well.

"Well, I dunno. I kept hearing faint screaming in the back of my mind. I remember someone saying "great aunt sue…" Lash looked at her closely, and she appeared to look over into her own world, wondering what had really happened. He looked to Spencer, who looked guiltily at Lash. In his mind he kept repeating the words "she has to figure it out for herself" Crystal gazed back to the still lives on the television, seeing her faint outline of her reflection, and said goodbye to the two boys, leaving the room.

Later as her mother settled down on the couch downstairs, she approached the elder woman.

"Mum, who was Great Aunt Sue?" She asked, plopping down on the couch, enjoying the feeling of sinking into it.

"Uh, why the question darling?"

"Well, I had a thought last night when I was sleeping. I kept hearing an echo of her name in the back of my head." Her mother looked to the side slightly at her child, giving a small smug look.

"I see. What do you want to know?"

"I was thinking about what her powers were…" She looked at her mother in the corner of her eye, folding her hands in between her crossed legs.

"She was a technopath, more so being a telekenevic. That's what I called her. She could control anything with her mind, except unwilling strong minded people. When I say anything, I mean anything." Crystal looked confused, turning her body towards her mother.

"Don't you mean telekinetic?" Crystal muttered, but her mother shook her head. "The two are two totally different things, darling."

"But I thought powers were passed down through to generations. Like you to Spencer, and Uncle Rico to cousin Peter." She didn't mention her father, for he was a normal human being, so it was more likely for her to not have a superhuman trait. Crystal had been hoping that wasn't true, for she couldn't imagine living in agony of not having a power when the rest of the family did. She was sure her father was a bit sad to not have a piece of glory, but all his life he never had a power, and there was no sign of superhuman ability on his side of the family.

"Sometimes genetics don't always follow through, love. Sometimes, people have a totally different power than their parents. Your Great Aunt Sue's mother could through a barn door 500 feet away, and her father could give a kick so powerful it could split you into billions of little Crystals; shattered glass. He was a mighty super being."

"Do you think that could happen to me, mom?" Crystal asked, already marveled by the possibility of having her own unique power.

"Well, you never know until the day comes, my darling." Ruffling her hair, Mary rose from the loveseat and disappeared to the kitchen. Seizing the moment to bombard Spencer and Lash with similar questions, she decided to not do so, but still chose to go back upstairs and play video games with them.

"Alright, gimme a controller. I wanna toss a guy into the air now." She spoke of Flat Out 2 A/N: I'm not entirely sure if that's the true name. I asked my brothers, and that's what they told me., and jumped up the stairs, planting herself in the middle of her brother and his friend, motioning toward the unhandled controller next to Lash on the other side of him. It tossed into her hands, only no one had touched it to toss it. When she caught it coming towards her, she screamed with it still in her hands.

"Crys! Crys!" the boys started screaming, and she dropped it and crawled backwards from it as if it were a gigantic spider.

"No, Speed! She found out her **power**…" Lash turned to him and high-fived his friend, as Crystal started to calm down her breathing, yet her heart was pounding through her chest.

"What just happened?" Crystal asked, brushing the hair from her face and looking at the two of them.

"You found your power!" Speed said, as Lash did a celebration dance as he sat across from her in the floor.

"You mean the syrup thingy this morning wasn't in my head?!" They nodded, and then they heard happy sobs coming up the stairs. Her mother came into the room, immediately plowing into her daughter, hugging Crystal tightly.

"My Crystal! A telekenevic!! Ohhh!!" She spoke, looking at her daughter and hugging her every four seconds.

"Mom, yes, I am...thanks. My heart is still pounding" She laughed a bit, but only nervously. "Now can someone **please** tell me how I use them?"

----

**Well now that my first chapter is done, I'd like to say, thank you Lash for being so hot, and uhh, well, my buddy Mel cause she's so awesome and we're both awesomely creative in the Sky High universe. Well, we DID have a discussion during lunch once on who we would do. Or was it Biology? Oh well. I can't fully remember.**

**But she's got Warren. I've got Lash. Cause he's unbelievably…indescribable. :**

**Now pleasssseeeee review? Loveee much.**


	2. Chapter 2

Heyyy! It's me again. : I've been writing up these chapters one after another, and I think I'm on a roll. : Did I do well on my first chapter? Yeah, I'm gunna go ahead and say that when they're out of school, they are practically completely OCC. I'm sorry. But believe me, when they're out of the house and in public, it'll all change.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

"**What just happened?" Crystal asked, brushing the hair from her face and looking at the two of them.**

**"You found your power!" Speed said, as Lash did a celebration dance as he sat across from her in the floor.**

**"You mean the syrup thingy this morning wasn't in my head?!" They nodded, and then they heard happy sobs coming up the stairs. Her mother came into the room, immediately plowing into her daughter, hugging Crystal tightly.**

**"My Crystal! A telekenevic!! Ohhh!!" She spoke, looking at her daughter and hugging her every four seconds.**

**"Mom, yes, I am...thanks. My heart is still pounding" She laughed a bit, but only nervously. "Now can someone please tell me how I use them?"**

----

And that's how I found my powers. I'm now a sophomore at Sky High. Spencer and Lash are seniors, and they've done more to add to a criminal record than anything. Mother is still surprised they haven't been expelled from school, especially when they helped out in that homecoming bit.

I knew better, and tried to tell the Principal about the whole thing, but I had only found out about the deed when Spencer told me the plan the night of the homecoming.

_I was shocked, and when we reached the school, I didn't care what happened to my dress in the process. I had run to the Office, where Principal Powers was getting ready. _

_"Principal Powers!" I banged on the door, urgently trying to stop what was going to happen. Most of my body couldn't handle the anger of what my brother and his friends were planning on doing, and I growled when no one came to the door. I picked up my black and white dress in a haste to try and get **at least** Lash to not do out the plan. I tripped, and my hair had fallen from the updo from the sudden jerk, and my 'prom curls' were framing my face naturally. I ran into the gymnasium and saw him splash punch onto Mr. Boy, the sidekick teacher._

_"LASH!!" I cried out, and he turned around to look at me. My brother rolled his eyes and walked off to Penny, the cheerleader who didn't bother to dress up for the dance. It was a key term from Gwen to not have a date to the prom, and everyone in the plan kept to the code. Some of the others in on the crime didn't even bother to go into the gym. They hung out by the doors, where they would trap everyone. I kept a mental note to do my best to stay by the door closest to where I was, and walked up to Lash._

_"Lash, please. Why are you doing this?" I asked him, dropping my dress from my fists and letting a tear fall. "You know how dangerous Gwen is? Do you?" Lash looked into my eyes, smiling._

_"Yeah, I do Crystal. But we're only having a bit of fun here." I gave off a disgusted look to him, and I growled again, letting a tear fall from my left eye. He saw this, and I looked at his face. He frowned, and tried to wipe the tear away, yet I swatted it away._

_"Don't touch me. You have NO idea how badly she is going to turn on you. I've learned a lot from when she was here before, Lash. She will stop at nothing, and she won't even give you credit for helping her." This ticked him off. His face screwed into a grimace, and he looked over to Gwen, who gave him a look of an "okay go." Lash looked back to me, and he looked hesitant, but brushed one of my curls behind my ear, and leaned forward to look at my face. My blue gray eyes started to tear again._

_"You look very beautiful tonight, Crystal, and I'm sorry I have to do this." He turned around and Spencer ran towards another door as Lash stretched to the one nearest the two of us. I couldn't stand it. If I couldn't have gotten Lash to ditch this, I surely couldn't have gotten to Spencer to do the same. I turned away from him, and I had heard Gwen give her speech._

_"Now to introduce the greatest super to ever walk the halls of Sky High…ME!"_

_I shut my eyes and blocked my ears as I expected people to scream soon enough. When I heard it all before me, I opened my eyes and picked up my dress, watching both my brother and Lash along with a few others close and lock the gates to the gym. I caught a glance of Lash looking towards me, and I wiped yet another tear, trying to keep calm. I wouldn't care if Gwen pointed the Pacifier at me, and at that point, I walked away from the gate where Lash stood opposite the gymnasium, and walked towards where Gwen was pointing and shooting people into babies. I watched her turn and look to me, and if she didn't wear the helmet, I swear she would be smiling as she took that shot towards me. Bracing myself, I heard a "FUCK!" from behind me as I turned into a baby. It sounded like my brother, and I heard others around me scream louder. _

_Later when I was de-pacified, I grabbed my dress from the gym floor while the sheet I wore wrapped tightly around me with the help from my own power to hold it up without my hands. I walked calmly to the bathroom and changed, ignoring the crying and the still-scared girls who were ranting about how they already knew what was going to happen. In my head I scoffed, knowing that if they did know, they wouldn't have been pacified…that they would have stayed out of the way. I took a minute to think about why I had come, and I took notice again as I slipped on my dress that I came to save a few people in the process of saving a few people from becoming criminals. I felt stupid when I felt yet another tear roll down my cheek, for part of me knew it wouldn't work. That I failed._

_Before Powers had gotten to the ones in charge of the whole plan, I found Lash and Spencer behind the school, hanging by a tree. I walked over there, and Spencer looked at me._

_"Sis, I'm sorry for what Gwen did to you. I thought when I told you before we left you would be smart enough to leave or not go at all. Guess I was wrong." He laughed, hitting Lash in the chest to let him know it was time to laugh with him. Lash looked to him, and chuckled a bit, but stopped a moment after._

_"I went to try and make someone change their mind about the whole situation, but CLEARLY it hadn't worked. I just wanted to let you know that what you did was stupid and it was a risk that I never knew you would take, Speed." I walked away, with my hands in tight fists and the wind from no where whipped in my face. My powers had given off a burst of energy, and the wind it created whacked Spencer in the face a few times before disappearing into a cool breeze._

_Spencer looked off to me as I walked away and Lash hit himself in the forehead. "She called me Speed. She called me Speed. She's never done that. She called me Speed, Lash." Spencer said, repeating over and over, and then turned to behind the tree and hurled. Lash walked away, climbing another tree nearby. When he sat on a branch, he turned towards the trunk and hit his head repeatedly._

_"Stupid stupid stupid stupid."_

_**I never fully forgave the two of them.**_

When I was a freshman, I was put in hero class, whilst Spencer and Lash were the only two other people in the stands waiting to see who'd get what. Despite having villainous traits to the school, the two of them whooped and cheered when I was sorted to hero. It felt pretty good, and yet I felt self conscious when I stepped onto the platform to show my skill. People had whispered things like "uh oh, we've got another Gwen on our hands!" and "she's gunna be a problem, I know it." I had to tell them myself that I had slightly different powers than Royal Pain, and I was a telekenevic.

I was happy, but I sulked when I sat down with the other sorted heroes.

When lunch rolled around in the middle of sophomore year, I sat down at an empty table and checked my new and improved schedule. It changes at the beginning of the second semester.

"How's my buddy doing?" Lash showed up, dropping his tray onto my table. He didn't normally sit with me, but today my brother was home sick with a stomach problem. I looked over at him and yawned slightly.

"Spence got sick last night, so he got to stay home. He ate expired tuna or something." I said, placing a hand on my chin to keep my head from falling onto the table.

"I didn't mean Speed, but okay." He laughed slightly, but then gave a look of both pity and disgust.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just tired, that's all." I said, closing my eyes for only a few moments.

"Hey! Hey!" he called to me, stretching his arm to snap in my ear. "No sleeping in school or you'll get detention…on second thought, go ahead. I need someone to talk to when I'm all alone up in the detention room." He told me, giving off a weak smile. Lash and Speed were still up on detention during their break periods for the crime they did last year.

"I'm trying my best to stay awake. I think I played with my powers a bit too much earlier. I just feel like I need a pillow right now." I gave up on resting my head in my hands and dropped it to the table, closing my eyes.

"Maybe you should conserve your energy. Once you get older and your powers become more advanced, you won't get tired so easily." Lash spoke scientifically.

I had enough strength to open one eye and look at him oddly. Never have I heard such words come out of Lash's mouth. Ever.

"I just had that memorized in the back of my mind. They teach you that back in Freshmen Orientation. Don't you remember?" I closed my eye and laid my head back down again.

"No, and right now I can't remember anything." I felt him move and I thought he had left me alone again, but it turns out he had gotten up to sit beside me and began to rub my back.

"Well from what I obviously know, school's almost over. So on the bus, I'll go home with you, hang out and then we can make fun of Speed. Alrighty?" He tried to look at me, but I only nodded into my arms. The bell rang for the last class, and Lash had to drag me to my feet to exit the cafeteria. "Where's your next class?" He asked, lifting my arm to be placed over his shoulder, and he held me tightly to my side, fearing I'd probably fall over flat on my face.

"Room 147. I've got 'Plant Care and Healing.'" I muttered to him.

"Okay, so just wait here and I'll walk you to the bus. Don't fall asleep in this class - Mr. Demetrii hates it when someone falls asleep. You'd get a week's worth of detention if he catches you." He told me, as we passed a bank of lockers and turned the corner. It was nice of him to care and bring me to class, but I didn't want him to be late either. He told me his teacher didn't care much, for he was normally late to his classes.

"I'm good from here. You should get to class. I'm not making you late this time, Lash." I told him, brushing off his hand strategically placed on my hip.

"Alright whatever. I'll see you in an hour, Crystal." He turned and stretched down the hall to another classroom and walked in just in time before the bell rang to become tardy. During the period I had thought about how tired I've become so quickly. I'd gone longer with my powers in action, but never became this tired, if I did at all. Was I sick? Or were my powers just not agreeing with me today?

"Ms. Mack, do you know the answer?" my teacher asked, but I shook my head. I did know it; I just didn't want to say anything because I had become convinced I was so tired I sounded drunk whenever I would speak.

Time flew by. It normally did for me at the end of the day. I rose slowly as the bell had rung to go home. I picked up my books and placed them into my bag, and I noticed that Lash was waiting outside the classroom for me. I felt a little lighter, and I put my hand on my stomach to lose the feeling, and picked up my bag to walk out.

When I reached the doorframe I smiled at Lash, who then noticed the weight of my bag.

"Doesn't the weight bother you?" He winced at me when he noticed the whites of my knuckles clenching to my shoulder strap with my other hand rubbing my neck from the quick slide of the strap against my skin. I looked at him and shook my head, picking up pace to my locker, because my bus driver Bill never liked to wait for slackers. Lash understood. The door's been slammed in his face a few times when he was going over my house to hang out with "Speed".

We got on the bus and I took my seat by the window below the emergency light, and the seat before the 'speaker above the seat' seat. It was my favorite bus seat – especially when I got to keep it to myself. But today, Lash is the one I'm sharing it with.

Sometime down the line I had dozed off, my head hitting the window glass every time the bus went over a bump in the road. I felt arms reach for my far shoulder and pull me away from the window, and I thought nothing more of it, since whatever I was leaning on, it was soft and squishy, not to forget warm. Even if it was Lash I had just described in my head, I didn't do much about it, because I liked the feeling of comfort and safety. The only part I hated was when I got ticked in my side, and I looked out to a bright sunshine-lit neighborhood.

"I got your bag. Let's go." Lash told me, standing up and grabbing my hand as if it were the most natural thing. When I touched the concrete with my shoes, I got dizzy and fell over. For some strange reason, I feared a sickness in me. Lash looked back quickly and tossed the bag over his shoulder, stretching his arms underneath me to pick me up off the ground and start walking home.

"I just felt dizzy, Lash. Let me down now." I kept saying to him, but when I looked up we were already walking up the driveway to the house. As I was being carried, I kept feeling these little tingles, like if you were to stand there and someone would glide their finger and nail down your arm. I brushed it off, thinking it was nothing. When he brought both of us in, he plopped me down on the couch, ruffled my hair knowing it would bug me, and stretched his legs up the stairs, giving me a smirk and a small laugh as he turned to leave my sight. I got up slowly and went towards the kitchen to see if my mother had left me messages when she went to work. She was working overtime, and her post-it note was stuck to the fridge:

_Work at the office, then going to defeat Dr. Cranium whenever he decides to behead the Statue of Liberty. Be back late. Dad is on a business trip. He'll be home in 3 days. _

_Order a pizza!_

_Mom_

Under the note was a 20.

"Hey Spence!" I called up the stairs.

"What." He replied lazily with a nasty attitude.

"Did you see this on the fridge?"

"Yeah. I asked if Lash could stay over too."

"Wicked!" I heard Lash say.

"Mkay. What did she say to that?"

"She said that we should make him pay rent he stays here so much." I laughed. My mom was pretty normal for a superhuman.

"But it's a school night!" I shouted, and then jogged up the steps, tired of shouting up them and only getting muttered responses from my brother.

I rushed into his room and jumped onto the ladder – my usual spot for whenever we hang out in his room. Whenever equaling to whenever Lash is over. So yeah, whenever. I watched TV with them for a bit and I got dizzy again, and in a flash I caught myself from falling over by grasping the wooden ladder. A large shake was heard from it, and so both of their heads were turned towards me now, in odd expressions on their faces. I let go of the ladder slowly and placed my hands below me to ensure my own balance, and they turned back around snickering.

Deciding that I should just go lay down for a while I stood up, hoping to not receive a head rush, and went across the hall to my room.

----

**Yeah. So my second chapter is done.**

**That whole homecoming night in italics wasn't even written down in the notebook I'm writing the story in to begin with. I thought that I had to have at least a small segment from Crystal's freshman year at Sky High. Right when I wrote "I knew better", I immediately had that whole idea drawn into my head. I think I've got carpool tunnel or something. I've been typing for the past probable…3 hours straight. Hopefully it was worth it. : But what really made me happy, was the whole Homecoming. That made my whole chapter to me, really.**

**Jinx - No, Crystal isn't fat like Speed. Speed is the only one in his family that's….not supposed to be their weight. **

**CardbordRain - there you are! Your new chappieeee. **

**ProcrastinatingPyro09 - Ahhh Mel! You make my day. Really.**

**Alrighty, so please reviewwww. :**

**You know how much authors are totally grateful. We're all like employees in the bullpen… wtf am I talking about.**

**Now I feel old. . **

**Just review?**

**Thanks loves.**


	3. Chapter 3

I think I'm on a roll today. : It's now my 3rd chapter. I've been typing for about 3 and a half hours straight, and I have no sense of stopping unless I need to write more in the notebook. And I don't believe I need that yet. Not yet…

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

**I rushed into his room and jumped onto the ladder – my usual spot for whenever we hang out in his room. Whenever equaling to whenever Lash is over. So yeah, whenever. I watched TV with them for a bit and I got dizzy again, and in a flash I caught myself from falling over by grasping the wooden ladder. A large shake was heard from it, and so both of their heads were turned towards me now, in odd expressions on their faces. I let go of the ladder slowly and placed my hands below me to ensure my own balance, and they turned back around snickering.**

**Deciding that I should just go lay down for a while I stood up, hoping to not receive a head rush, and went across the hall to my room.**

----

When he heard a soft 'plop' come from Crystal's room, he assumed she had crashed onto her bed. He had to tell someone.

"Dude, I have a crush on your sister." Lash said immediately.

"Dude, I'm dreaming." Spencer said, closing his eyes and squinting, opening them once again. "I'm dreaming…either that or I imagined my best friend admitting something so awkward to me." Lash hit his head with his hand. Of course it would be awkward! But he's been itching to tell someone about it. And now that he has, he immediately knew it was to be a mistake.

Jumping to his feet he left the room, being watched by Speed until he was out of his sight. He decided to call for a pizza now and make everyone eat it before he did all.

"Papa John's."

"Uh, yeah. Two large. One cheese, one pepperoni, annnd a 2 liter Diet Pepsi." He remembered Crystal telling him once that Diet Pepsi didn't taste different that regular Pepsi, but she just liked the feeling that she knew it was a bit smarter to drink.

"Is that all?"

"Uh, yeah. Wait, actually, no. I've got a question. Not about pizza."

"I'm sorry sir, but I-"

"What do you do if you tell your best friend you've got a crush on his sister?"

"Ohhhh, hey man I'm sorry…" the person on the other end said, losing his professional line. "I can't help you there. Let's just hope for the best, shall we? That'll be $17.50"

"If you're not here in 30 I'm not payin'" he said, giving the man the address and hanging up. Lash jumped onto the couch, sinking into the middle section, giving off an angry expression. He thought about barging into her room and professing his love for her, but that would be quite odd, since he thought of no where else to hide if he did tell her. What would she think? He put his hands on his head and leaned over, already stressed out.

Lash stood up and stretched his neck to see Speed's door shut. Taking one long step he stretched out to Crystal's door. Doing the best he could to keep quiet, he crept into her room and sat down on her computer chair.

It may sound freaky to someone, but watching others sleep calms them. Well, calms Lash. In anything, Lash had only watched two people sleep before. Speed, obviously, because he always fell asleep before Lash was even slowing down on his sugar rush, and Crystal, when they once talked in her room while her brother slept. They talked while she was wide awake at 11:30, they talked when she was getting relaxed on her bed at 1:40, and they whispered when she was fading off to sleep around 4:15. He was probably 16. Two years ago. Now Crystal was 16. He chuckled to himself as he thought of himself as old.

Hearing a car pull up her got up quietly and stretched downstairs, stretching his arm towards the kitchen grabbing the money off the fridge, and then stretching towards the door, only seconds early before the delivery boy rang the doorbell. He handed him the 20 and grabbed the pizzas with one arm and carried the soda in the other.

Smelling pizza from upstairs, Speed ran down in 2 seconds to the table to handle his slices, and running back towards his room to watch TV by himself.

He took two plates and set one aside, and adding 2 cheese slices onto the place in his hands and carried it upstairs to Crystal's room, where he knocked loudly to try and wake her slightly. No answer, so he had went back downstairs to plan on putting the plate in the microwave to keep ready for her. Lash stopped halfway down the steps to look at the figure on the couch.

"How'd you get by me?" he asked her, walking over both his plate and hers and sitting down beside her. Crystal took it with a 'thank you' and looked at him.

"I came down while you were in the kitchen with the pizzas" She told him simply. He hoped she didn't hear him enter and leave her room.

Speed came down the stairs and told the two of them that their mom had called his cell phone and told him to go food shopping. He showed them the list of things to get and asked if Lash if he wanted to go with him.

"Well I just CAN'T leave the girl all alone, Speed. She might hurt herself, or bleed to death and we would never know!" Lash told him, as Crystal gawked and pouted.

"I am not a child." She said simply, angrily taking a bite of her pizza like a wolf would with a raw slab of meat.

"I know, obviously." He told her, and looked to Speed, who in return gave him a "you-better-behave" look before walking out the door.

"So how is little miss Crys?" He asked her, smirking.

----

I looked at Lash. Looked straight into his eyes like I had that night at homecoming, trying to say something to retaliate to what peeved me, and stopped. When Lash smirks, the look in his eyes always show off to the world that he was happy, mischievous. But not right now. It wasn't normal to me.

"What? Is there something on my face?" he asked, quickly wiping underneath his lip and chin.

"No…you just look different…" I muttered. In his eyes were flounces of nervousness, worry, and excitement; that kind of combination would only make sense if he were on a rollercoaster.

I got up to put my pizza down and asked if he wanted to watch a movie. He nodded and so I put a DVD in and went to get a cup for the lonely soda bottle on the kitchen table. Walking back I saw his arm stretch back to him after closing the shades to the outside world.

"It's better in the dark." He told me. Well obviously. It's practically common sense – he didn't have to tell me that. I smiled and plopped the bottle of soda by the pizza boxes and sat back down. I tried to at least. The room gets pitch black whenever the blinds are closed. It could be noon with the sun beating down on the world, and no one would know in our living room.

I ended up in Lash's lap, to tell you the truth. My turn-and-collapse move to my spot…was slightly off. I heard an "oomph!" and then a small painful "ohhhh." Trying to scoot off him and telling him "Oh my God I'm so sorry! Crap." In anything he didn't seem _too_ bothered by it – for he had wrapped his arms around me many times before picking me up a bit and then laying down, then letting or forcing me, whichever you prefer me lie down upon him, my head on his chest he was so tall. He had let me go, but only to let my arms clasp around his chest, and then he had wrapped the both of us up in his arms.

"Are you finished?" I asked him, resting my head above his heart. It was pounding hard, and I laughed when he nodded, lifting my head so my chin could be placed on him. Lash had moved his head to look at me, and then I scrunched up my face and smiled when he went in and kissed my forehead with a loud sound effect.

I giggled once more, laying my head down and felt his heart beat with my cheek. This time it was beating so hard it was pushing my face out with every pound.

"I love how this makes me feel like a kid." I said, squirming stiffly under his arms and smiling. Somewhere before even the halfway point in the movie, I fell asleep.

----

Lash noticed how she slept when he had heard a small groan. She tossed her head to the side a few times, sometimes she would squirm around, making the areas on his legs feel oddly out of place whenever she would unwrap them from her own. He loved the way her skin felt whenever his hand had brushed her arm from underneath their wrap of his arms- she felt so soft.

Where she was now Lash loved immensely. Her face had crawled from his heart towards his own face, but rested in the crook between his neck and his shoulder. The long breaths she took gave him jitters, and he in turn closed his eyes and stretched his left arm and began to stroke her long brown hair, falling victim to sleep as well.

He alone woke to a start when he heard the door slam shut.

"Hi Speed." Lash said groggily. "SPEED!" he cried, being tired and raspy now that he was awake. Crying out 'Speed' he had jolted a little, causing Crystal to groan and turn her head and sigh – still asleep in Lash's grasp.

"What did you do?" he asked calmly – but Lash could tell of the slight anger rising in him. Lash looked nervous, and then Crystal woke up.

"Mmm…? Hey Spence…movie over?" She tried to stretch herself out but remembered where she was, and plopped back down.

"What did you do?" Spencer repeated, this time to Crystal.

"We watched a movie?" She questioned him back with equal anger in her voice. Noticing that she wanted to get up now, Lash slowly unraveled the two of them, and listened to her rant about brothers and parents.

She had gotten up and walked to the stairs, and calling out, "You know what I mean?" she yelled, her raspy voice from sleep made her sound a bit off. She now stood at the edge of the stairs, angry at how content she was and her brother rubbing it away by not trusting them.

"No, we don't. Go upstairs and paint your nails or something. I've got to talk to Lash right now." Spencer told her, waving his hand for her to go away.

She stomped up the stairs and her powers had gone a little wild. Doors opened and closed in an angry fashion, TV's flickered on and off, and pipes in the walls sang out bubbly songs of banging and clattering, up until she walked into her room, where she slammed the door and everything stopped.

Speed turned around towards Lash after they heard the door slam.

"So what did you do" He said, crossing his arms and giving his friend a look.

"What she said, man. We watched a movie - ate a couple of pieces of pizza, and we fell asleep."

Spencer looked off in disgust, but nodded his head. He thought that Lash could be trusted with his sister, and gave permission. The boy turned on his heel and went upstairs, after saying the last words for the night to him.

"Don't hurt her." Lash nodded, but then froze. The door to Speed's room closed and he jumped.

"Wait a minute! Does that mean what I think it means?!" he got excited, his eyes brightened up. He stretched up to Speed's room, and banged on the door, yelling out, "is it? Speed! Buddy! Hey!! Hello?!" A door flew open, but it wasn't his best friend's.

"What's going on?" Lash turned around and saw Crystal, and whipped around, smiling wildly.

----

"Whaa!" I cried, as I was picked up slightly by Lash and raised a bit higher than his face. "What's going on?" I said again, shocked by his out of the blue happiness. He put me down slowly and I blushed when he began to brush my brown hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear, but blushed even harder if possible, when he bent down and leaned in closer to my face.

I felt embarrassed in front of him - here I was, and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. I felt like there was no second break in between my heartbeats, and when Lash looked down at my lips, the beats had skipped and I felt I was going to die - everything had shut down in my body - I thought I couldn't move, until I took a breath.

I couldn't hold it in any longer, and I kissed him.

And I didn't just feel his smile, haha no, I could taste it. When I went for it, I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into me, and he had held onto the lower part of my back to pull me closer towards him. In the beginning, he grazed my lips, unsure of if I was going to hold on as long as he was planning. But when he started to only kiss me gently, I couldn't stand it, it was as if even now, he was teasing me he ticked me off, that's what he did!, and probably just a bit too much more than he expected. I whimpered, and pressed myself harder against him, pushing him into my own room, and he shut the door with a stretch of his leg. I smiled against him, and we somehow ended up sprawled on my bed. Lash laid above me, smiling wide at me, and I brought him closer, kissing him hard. He released himself, and nibbled on my lower lip, and drew slow kisses from my earlobe to my collarbone, bringing his face back to my own. At this point I had then grabbed him and brought myself up a bit to lick his bottom lip, smirking at him as he inched closer. I turned my head to tick him off like he had done to me a few minutes earlier. Lash took this advantage and caught me off guard. Me, of all people.

----

**Chapter 3 is done: I'm so happyyyy. YAY! Haha. **

**Okay, so here's the thing. I want YOU to guess what he's going to do. Just to spice things up a bit while you're reviewing. :**

**It's the most obvious thing but I think that's the whole point of the question. **

**Mkaysss? So review…answer the question if you wish.. I don't really care. : **

**Just…review. **


	4. Chapter 4

It's me again! I feel like celebrating, really. I mean c'mon. Who really writes most of what they got all in one day? I did. Yesterday. Whoo. Looky here though! I'm on my 4th fucking chapterrr already. Be proud. Oh yeah… If anything I've been working on other chapters in my notebook.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

…**I smiled against him, and we somehow ended up sprawled on my bed. Lash laid above me, smiling wide at me, and I brought him closer, kissing him hard. He released himself, and nibbled on my lower lip, and drew slow kisses from my earlobe to my collarbone, bringing his face back to my own. At this point I had then grabbed him and brought myself up a bit to lick his bottom lip, smirking at him as he inched closer. I turned my head to tick him off like he had done to me a few minutes earlier. Lash took this advantage and caught me off guard. Me, of all people.**

----

He had to do it. It was a given when she turned her head away from him. Lash bit down on the crook between neck and shoulder, and he heard a gasp come from Crystal. He smiled, letting go of her skin and had placed a light kiss where the teeth marks were. His face rose atop hers and he smirked as she moved her head like a confused puppy. Lash chuckled when he noticed that she was blushing.

"What?" he whispered to her, lowering his head, planting kisses all over her neck area. Resting his head on her chest as she had said "I don't want to say," with a small giggle. He loved the way her heart skips a beat when she laughed - it was unnatural, yet amazing - and he believed she too was amazing.

"C'mon," he said, raising his eyes to her. "Tell me," he spoke in a way a person would speak to a baby, and did this at the same time as wrapping his arms around her and himself to get closer, if anything like that were possible.

Crystal looked away from Lash for a moment before speaking. She had to think of about how to ask what she was going to ask.

"Lash," she spoke, now looking into his chocolate brown eyes. "What brought this on? How did this happen?" She pointed from him to herself, and he took her left hand, rolling off her and laying beside her.

"A _major_ crush on my best friend's sister." She blushed. "I got to know you after a while of late nights when Speed passed out, and on days you were just hanging around the house." Crystal turned towards him, leaning on her left arm and listening intently. He always spoke truth to her, and living life as a school bully people never really took the boy seriously. Yet here he was telling her about how much he felt for her. This was a dream! It had to be. He never imagined she would respond so well to what he had to say. Hell he never imagined actually telling her about his feelings for the girl! Lash was always afraid she would reject him and forever more feel awkward whenever she had been around him. But when she returned the kiss earlier, he was surprised, but his fears had disappeared. Oh how a wonderful feeling that was!

He finished explaining to Crystal and looked over at her.

"Now, was there a reason as to why you returned my kiss?" he asked, smirking as he rolled back on top of her to entangle both of his hands to her own.

"All these years Lash, and our own little friendship had become my excitement. At school I couldn't wait for the weekend - most kids thought I did 'cause well, it was time to relax. But I couldn't wait for our night conversations - I could be myself around you. You could always be yourself, and in turn that gave me inspiration, the push to be myself as well, but outside my bedroom walls." She kissed his cheek, continuing. "You've grown on me, and I took comfort in that. Lately I've been getting these feelings whenever you'd touch me - even in the slightest brush of the arm, my entire body would tingle, and I would smile…it's a glamorous feeling, Lash." He blinked, and in his eyes flickered happiness, amazement, and love.

He kissed her with a passion, smiling throughout their lip lock. They broke apart, and Lash glanced at the clock. 1:35 a.m.

"I think I should let you sleep Crystal," he spoke softly, gently getting up and rolling off her bed, but was grabbed by her and she pulled his arm, causing him to stretch a bit.

"I don't think Spencer should mind if you hung out here for the night." She said, and her own eyes flickered to the closet door, which opened and a floating sleeping bag came out, dropping itself by her bed and unraveling itself at Lash's feet. He turned to look at her, who smiled and tossed him a pillow, letting go of his arm.

"Are you sure Speed won't mind me sleeping in his sister's room?" Crystal shrugged, and watching him jump into the sleeping bag and lying down.

"How about there being a risk of flying objects in the middle of the night?" She giggled as he laughed.

"But I wouldn't wake up to anything even if you hit me with a TV." She rolled over so her back was to him.

"That's because you'd be put under from the force of the hit." She muttered aloud. Lash picked up the pillow and hit her in the head. "I won't I promise! I'll try my hardest!" She lay there, smiling slightly. When she felt an arm creep across her stomach, she jumped, being pulled down by Lash to the floor. Crystal squeaked, but nonetheless laughed as the zipper undid itself from the sleeping bag. She slid her legs in as she kissed Lash softly, bringing two pillows down for her to sleep with.

"Well hello there," he said, as she crawled in completely, wrapping her leg around his as he towered over her.

"Lash - go to sleep. We have school later…" Crystal told him, rolling over to her back was facing him. He kissed her cheek and brushed her hair from her face, lying down in the cascades of her hair.

----

The alarm on my bedside table went off, and I jumped to hit it, forgetting where I was. So I ended up hitting the frame of my bed beside me, slamming my finger.

It was 4:50, and I yawned, pushing myself to not close my eyes after I've hit the snooze button already. I felt a soft and warm object across my stomach, and turned around beneath it, kissing Lash's forehead.

"I've got to get up Lash." I told him, giving the sleeping boy googly eyes. Who knew he could be even more attractive when he slept?

"Nnnn-" he said, holding me tighter.

"I've got to take a shower - and get ready for school." I cooed, giggling as he muttered "only if I can jump in with you."

I began trying to push him off, saying 'no'. I kept failing - he had only held me tighter, and kicked his leg up over my own underneath my sleeping bag.

"Lash." I said sternly. His head was now in the crook of my neck, and he was tickling me by licking my neck and shoulder. "I've got to get up!"

He flew awake, landing fully on top of me and saying "but what will I do for the time you're away? What will I hold tight? Crystal…" he whined, but had attacked me with kisses all over my face, and finished off with a long, cat-like lick from the corner of my mouth to right below my eye. You can imagine how weird that felt.

"Ewwwwhaha!" He finally let me up, and he went downstairs to go to the closet where he had a basket of his clothes that he kept here. When he left I took the chance and dashed into the bathroom, washing my hair thoroughly while singing "Love Addict" by Family Force Five. When I got out, it was around 5:15. I ran to my room to get clothes, hoping Lash wouldn't be sitting there waiting while I stood there in a towel.

He wasn't, and I smelled cinnamon coming from the kitchen. I smiled, putting clothes on and towel drying my hair.

"Lash?" I called out, belting my jeans. When I looked up he stood in the doorway to my room.

"Yes love?" he asked me in a British accent, bowing before entering my room.

"Is my mom back yet?" He nodded, tossing me my shoes.

"She came home 15 minutes before your shower ended. I suggest you try not to wake her - she looked exhausted." Lash told me, drumming his fingers on my doorframe. "I'm gunna go back before I burn something." He stretched away, creating a muffled commotion from the kitchen. I looked off to my mirror, and blew out.

I hate Dr. Cranium. He's always wiping my mother out. When she goes out to do hero work, her powers always consume her until her chore is done. I imagine her running around the Statue of Liberty, throwing up elemental bursts of energy, knocking about Cranium. One day he'll be no more. My mother was his favorite distraction. He had practically an obsession with her stopping him. It got on everyone's nerves. He was her villainous menace.

I blinked the thought away, took a brush to my head and then began to blow dry it.

"Crys! I made French toast!" Lash called up the stairs. I peeked my head out and smiled.

"Lemme wake up Spence." I told him, crossing the hall towards my brother's room. "Spencer, get up. School." I said lazily, nudging him as he turned over.

"Did you forget my superpower or something? Geez. Leave me alone." He muttered to me, covering his head with the comforter.

"Whatever bro." I sighed, walking out, hopping down the stairs.

"I didn't burn anything. Be proud." Lash told me when I sat down at the table. I chuckled. Usually he just makes me cereal on mornings he come over early, but apparently today was something different. I chuckled a bit, but nevertheless ate the food. "Well?"

"Needed more cinnamon," He dropped his shoulders and groaned. "But everything else is wonderful. Thank you dahlin'" I said, watching a plate fly towards the table. I smiled, also getting out a fork from the drawer behind Lash. He grabbed it in front of him, and sat down.

"Hey, what's today?" I asked finishing my breakfast. His face brightened up.

"It's Friday." I looked at him.

"Do you have anything planned for tonight?" I asked him, making my plate fly to the kitchen sink.

----

That day at school Crystal kept seeing Lash everywhere. He had been stretching around the school, randomly throwing sidekicks into lockers, as an excuse to look around for her. Speed had given up on trying to keep him on a leash so they were together - a team in bullying the sidekicks, and had just let him wander off to find his sister.

But Lash wouldn't approach her, really. Not unless it was an empty corridor did he kiss her. She understood that a little. His fear was to be found out, but in the end he wouldn't have cared if he was caught kissing her. It wasn't like she embarrassed him. He feared that it might have given him an edge to his reputation; actually having a heart to show to others.

It's not like they were 'official' or anything. They just kept excusing themselves to the 'bathrooms' and found each other and had severe makeout sessions.

When the lunch bell rang, Lash made a start A/N: I thought it would be kind of corny if I wrote that he made a dash...Lash…dash…no. to Crystal's locker, but she hadn't been there, so he assumed she was already in the cafeteria.

Turns out she didn't show up - not even after ten minutes of waiting.

"What could she be doing?" he muttered aloud, and Speed looked up.

"Who? My sister?" Lash nodded, impatient. "You expect me to know? She's a girl - I can't think like one." Lash put his head in his hands, pulling his hair. When he stood up to walk out he looked to his friend, nodding.

"Thanks man," he told Speed, stretching around to leave the cafeteria and look around for her. He turned to a bank of lockers and heard his name being called from behind. Or was it in front of him? It sounded like Crystal, and when he found an empty hallway, he became confused. What was going on? Where is she?

----

Something happened when I was walking towards the lunch room. I felt a tug on my arm towards an empty classroom, and I was pulled into it, my mouth covered with a large stiff hand. I looked up to the person, seeing Mike Riley, from my Superhero History class. He was a teleporter, and not much of a hero. More like a villain. If anything, he was worse a person than people think Lash is. Worse than what had happened at homecoming.

"Wmmm!?" I screamed against his hand, and he took the liberty of knocking me out by hitting my head against the classroom wall. I blacked out, and he leaned against me and teleported somewhere, dragging me along.

When I woke up, I had a searing pain on the right side of my head, and I couldn't even move my arms to hold my own skull. Hell, I couldn't even move my legs; they seemed to be strapped down like my wrists, and soon I found out, my neck as well. Where was I?

"Welcome to the end, Crystal Mack," I heard a laugh. My eyes trailed to above me, and Mike smirked, his short blonde hair falling in front of his eyes. A/N: think emo hair. I scowled, rolling my eyes. He brushed through my hair with his hands, and I flinched below him.

"Be patient, Crystal - the doctor will see you soon." Mike chuckled, gliding his finger down my arm, leaving goosebumps.

"Don't touch me." I told him. I had the sudden urge to spit in his face, but I wasn't a skilled spitter, and I feared it would land in my face. I grimaced at him as he smiled, walking away. He brought two fingers to his eyes and pointed at me, giving me the notice that he was watching me.

I growled, shaking under the metal shackles stuck to the table I was laying on. My powers won't work in here. But was it only the physical powers? Like moving objects and controlling people? I had to figure this out for myself. I called for Lash. His mind was open - I knew that. He probably was looking for me in the school.

"LASH!" I screamed in my head. A light flickered over me - I wasn't sure if it would work, but I had to try, right?

----

**Well that's my fourth chapter. I couldn't just have it a love story. I had to have a bit of action. I don't do great with action writing, but I'm doing my best. I promise! **

**How did you like this chapter? **

**Tell meeeeee. **

**I'm hoping that I didn't fail on making a good story. I didn't think my first chapter was a great one, but I thought as I began writing my second chapter, I was going on a writing fiend race. **

**Be pleased!**

**Review? Thank youuu.**

**Update as of 3 - 21 - 07 : yeah im sorry about making you wait so long for this chapter... I've been grounded, and it's so bad, all I have it the beginning of the 5th chapter typed, and in my notebook, I've got up to about 8 chapters written. I'm almost into a new notebook, seriously. So once again, I'm sorry for your wait.**


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated. And you obviously know I'm not trying to do this on purpose. I hate giving people excuses, but this is going to be one. I can't update often, only because my mother won't allow me to get onto the computer. She won't unless it be for like, an English assignment…and yeah I know a bunch of you will just say, "Just tell her it's for school!" well, I can't, because she knows I'm a writer, and that she'll walk in and see that it's not a school project. So it's all her fault. . Yes, I blame my mother.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

"**Welcome to the end, Crystal Mack," I heard a laugh. My eyes trailed to above me, and Mike smirked, his short blonde hair falling in front of his eyes. (A/N: think emo hair.) I scowled, rolling my eyes. He brushed through my hair with his hands, and I flinched below him.**

**"Be patient, Crystal - the doctor will see you soon." Mike chuckled, gliding his finger down my arm, leaving goosebumps.**

**"Don't touch me." I told him. I had the sudden urge to spit in his face, but I wasn't a skilled spitter, and I feared it would land in my face. I grimaced at him as he smiled, walking away. He brought two fingers to his eyes and pointed at me, giving me the notice that he was watching me.**

**I growled, shaking under the metal shackles stuck to the table I was laying on. My powers won't work in here. But was it only the physical powers? Like moving objects and controlling people? I had to figure this out for myself. I called for Lash. His mind was open - I knew that. He probably was looking for me in the school.**

**"LASH!" I screamed in my head. A light flickered over me - I wasn't sure if it would work, but I had to try, right?**

----

Lash was on his knees in the hallway, pulling at his hair growling in frustration. He heard a door slam, and he raised his head slightly, showing through his hair his chocolate eyes. A/N: Meooooww. Shaking his head as he grabbed a hold of himself, he stood. When he turned the corner he found his old friend Mike Riley standing in front of an abandoned Mad Science Lab, in a scientist's coat, arms folded as if guarding something. Lash took this opportunity to quiz him out and get him to explain what was going on, to see if he had any idea where Crystal was.

"Riley! How come you're not at lunch?" he called casually, stretching towards the boy. He avoided eye contact with Lash, and stood up straight.

Lash raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Ooookay, well, have you seen Speed's sister around here?" At this point Mike began to stutter and stammer, shrugging his shoulders repeatedly and finally looking over to Lash.

"So you don't mind if I take a look?" Lash maneuvered his arm to the doorknob behind the other boy, but a shock of lightning came from it, making Lash retaliate.

"Yes, I do mind, Lash. Now if you kindly stepped aside, I need to get in." said a new voice. Lash looked to his left, seeing a man of about 27 walking towards the two boys. The man had short black hair, and was about 6'5", and wore menacing-looking, gigantic goggles over his eyes. A/N: Think the main evil guy from Ghost Rider.

"Dr. Cranium…" he whispered, becoming angry. He thought a moment, about how stupid the main office was for letting a man like him enter the school. "You've got Crystal, don't you!?" he managed to scream, getting angered quickly, already knowing the answer.

In the back of his head, a scream of 'YES!' soared through, sounding a lot like Crystal.

A horror movie shriek came from the room, and Dr. Cranium smiled. Mike stepped aside for the doctor to go inside. Lash grabbed the man, showing hate for him from every part of his body, slamming him against the wall, causing bits to fall to the ground. He may not have had super strength, but his rage gave him an extra boost of energy, almost enough to just kill the evil doctor.

"Now now Lash, son," Cranium tried to say, wiping off a bit of wall off his shoulder. "I'm going to let you have Crystal once I'm done with her, don't you worry." Mike laughed, muttering something to himself.

"What did you say?" Lash screamed, letting go of the doctor with one hand, picking up Mike and glaring at the boy.

"I said, 'yeah, once he's done slicing her neck off...' Lash, man - there's no way she'll come out of that room alive."

The bell for last period rang around the school, and a whimper could be heard from the Mad Science Lab. Lash tossed Mike away and held the older man up. He could see Mike scramble away stuttering down the hall, getting away from the other raging teen.

"Son, do you KNOW what I could do to you?" he laughed, and Lash's grip on the villain loosened, and Lash fell to the floor, a worried and bothered look on his face as he collapsed, limbs tangled. Dr. Cranium brushed a hand through his hair, took a loud breath, and walked in.

"No…Crystal…" Lash tried to call out, but every single part of him was being crushed from the inside, his energy being sucked right out of him. Untangling himself, he tried getting to his feet slowly as people from the lunchroom walked by him.

Speed ran by, yet stopped, coming back to his friend. "Did you find her?" he asked, worry in his voice. Lash rolled his head up and lifted his arms to get Speed to pick him up. When he stood, he pointed to the door ahead of them.

----

"Ah Crystal, it's so nice to see you!" Dr. Cranium said cheerily, closing the door and stepping forward.

I caught a glimpse of Lash on the ground, knowing that Cranium had weakened him with his mind, and suddenly I felt weak as well, battering my eyes trying to focus on him.

"I'm so sorry, I must have kept my gaze on power high…" he shut his eyes, smiling before opening them once more. I stiffed against the straps.

"LASH! Spencer! Anybody! Help!" I cried, feeling a tear fall out of the side of my eye into a pool in my ear. Dr. Cranium casually walked over to me, talking off his black scientist gloves one finger at a time.

"Tut tut." He said, laying a finger to my lips, trying to make me keep quiet. How anyone could keep quiet under these conditions was beyond me. "There's no reason to shout for help." He smiled, standing up straight, chuckling. "Oh wait, yes there is."

At this point there was a gigantic bang against the door, and I looked as best I could, seeing a dark shadow on the other side of the door. I assumed it was my brother.

"Spencer!" I screamed back.

"Crys! Lash is down. I can't break down the door -"

Dr. Cranium raised his right hand to the door, and the shadowy figure had become inaudible, even when it began making movements of banging the door. I had closed my eyes, thinking of a plan. How could they help?

Then the 27 year old genius stood away from me, crossing the lab to the desk at the back of the classroom, where there lay a giant saw, one you would use to cut large pieces of wood.

You're probably wondering a lot of things right now. Ask me anything. One question may be enough to let me hook this up above you," he said, picking up the tool with a grunt, dropping it onto the table next to me.

"For one, why and I strapped to a lab table _in school?_" I said, my teeth grinding against each other as I lay there balling up my fists in a silent rage.

"Well for starters, I lost to your mother last night…again. So from the time when I escaped from her vision, and the early hours I sat at home, I decided," he began raising the tool to the ceiling above me. "To kidnap you and get my neck. I failed to steal the statue's, so I thought, 'what better revenge than to take the head of her daughter's?' it would be a wonderful trick, and your mother would be after me for years, trying to avenge you, by running around, building up her strength and power, only to weaken before me!" Here, he looking to the ceiling smiling, letting his arms spread, as if in triumph already. I scowled, hating how all of this would lead back to Cranium's love of my mother. Hating how not only I was a victim in this scheme of his, but my mother as well. I very well wanted to be out of these straps and having nothing to do except hurting this man for the rest of his natural born life. But I did hope it fail once again. He may be a genius, but he's failed so many times its remarkable he's lasted this long. But I myself quickly thought of the rest of my plan as Cranium stood on a ladder, drilling the last hole to the dropper.

I watched him grunt in strength as he tried wiggling the dropper to see if it would wobble or fall too quickly. I closed my eyes, and turned my head, looking towards the exit.

The door was made of wood, the knob electrifying to the touch. Spencer couldn't knock it down, so I thought of the next best thing. Fire.

"GET WARREN!" I screeched, not knowing if it was audible in here as it wasn't for out there. God I hoped they could hear me.

----

Speed's ear was glued to the door, and shushed Lash when he groaned with worry. Crystal's brother jumped back away from the door, and put his hands up in shock.

"Lash, who's Warren!?" the striped boy looked to his friend from his pace in the hall, and crinkled his brow, turning towards a locker.

"Warren, Warren, Warren…" he hit his head against the locker, straining his face. "WAIT! I know! He's the guy…" he began stretching down the corridor, looking into classrooms through the windows. "Who's in here! He's that hothead, Peace!" he shouted to Speed, as Lash kicked the door open and Mr. Medulla gave a startling jump from behind his experiment desk.

"What's the meaning of this outrageous behavior, Mr. Livingston?!" he shouted, but Lash ignored him, stretching towards the only boy with a leather jacket on. Few students looked up from their work to see what was going on.

"C'mon - it's an emergency." Lash said, tugging on his jacket. He knew it wasn't wise to do this, but Lash's mind was jelly, and he was too worried to care about anything else at the moment.

Warren looked up from his half finished stun ray, and jolted his arm back.

"You think you can just barge in here and boss me around!?" He scowled, and the redhead sitting next to him looked curiously at Lash, as many more students dropped their work and sat up straight, listening to the rising fight over by the windows.

"Can I ask what's going on?" He shook his head, but stopped, rethinking.

"What's your power?" He asked hurriedly, almost pleading.

Most of the class stopped working completely now, watching the three.

"I don't think it's important for you to know." She stated, chuckling as if he were asking her to take her top off. Crossing her arms, Lash growled, leaning forward and grabbing her arms, leaning into her ear.

"If you must know, someone is going to be beheaded by Dr. Cranium in less than 5 minutes. And this person, mind you, is _very_ important to me." He pulled away. "Tell me you power!" She grimaced, and casually flopped her hand towards the pot of soil in the window. The plant grew thick and to about 5 feet tall, and Lash stood, thinking quickly, finally nodding once. Turning towards Warren, Layla pushed him out into the aisle, where Lash and herself dragged him out into the hallway. Mr. Medulla was fed up with the intrusion, and slammed the door behind them.

"So who am I supposed to be saving here?" Lash stretched himself a few feet ahead, while Layla still led him ahead to follow Lash.

Speed appeared behind a locker bank and told him straight up.

"My sister." He scowled, looking at Warren and Layla. "Crystal is going to get her head chopped off, and if we don't do something soon…" he shook his head, trying to hide the emotion he normally would block from the world. He sighed, and looked back to them. "I've tried ramming it open, and the knob is electrifying."

"So what do yo -" Warren started to say. Another bloodcurdling scream and the sound of a saw turned on were heard from the other side of the door. Lash looked desperate, his eyes widening and his hands reaching his head, and he growled.

"Burn a hole into the door big enough for us all to crawl through!" he cried, wincing at the scream coming from the room. Layla let Warren go, and he stood there with a glare on his face, thinking.

Warren breathed and focused his energy, throwing a ball of fire at the door. A hole was made, but it slowly sank back to its original form. It was like shooting ectoplasm - it made a hole, but the material around it had evolved back to its original shape.

"Help me!" Crystal shouted, and Layla looked at Lash, seeing a more desperate look on his face than his best friend's.

"I have an idea!" she ran into the next classroom that was empty, and brought back out a pot. "Warren, do another fire punch - big enough so I can make a ring around the hole." He nodded, shouting as he threw another ball. This time the hole gave Layla time to let a thick vine curl around a few times, holding the hole open to jump in.

Lash dived in first, stretching his arms up to a railing on the ceiling, and as he held onto the pipe, he wrapped his legs around the older man's neck, giving him nothing more than the chance to pass out. Layla waved her arms for Speed to run through, and Warren followed suit. Stepping past the vines Layla let go, losing her focus.

"Speed, find a way to stop the saw!" Lash screamed, dropping to the ground and beginning to drag the doctor to the far side of the room, strapping him into the antique electrical chair, smirking as the man's head lolled to the side.

"Lash!" Crystal's voice was heard, and he did a back flip towards the table. Looking down at her, he petted her head, and kissed her forehead like a vampire seeing the first drink he could have had in years.

"We're gunna get you out - don't worry." She whimpered, looking up at the tool, which was closing in on her very slowly.

Layla motioned for Warren to come closer to the girl, and Lash rubbed Crystal's hand quickly, looking over to Layla, giving her an 'off' look.

"In case of an emergency," Crystal's eyes went wild. "Can you hold up the saw with something?" Layla looked sincere, nodding. "Find a way to get her out of these…things." He said, a bit disgusted at the straps.

Crystal watched him walk over to her brother, who stood in front of a tall operating station, holding his arms out in confusion, frustrated.

"What do I do?!" he screamed, turning to his friend who stood beside him. Lash looked over the buttons.

"How about the big red one that says 'Stop Everything'?" Speed looked at him, and he had already turned around to Layla, who had about 6 different plants wrapped around the cord and unmoving parts of the saw. Lash stretched his arm past Speed and hit the button, running over to Crystal before anything had affected the saw. Jumping on top of the girl, he stretched his chest around her, protecting her against the now scattering sparks from the sudden stop and drop - disconnecting the charge of the saw to cable. When everything ceased, Crystal leaned up to Lash's ear the best she could, whispering shakily.

"Now is there any possible way to get me out of here?"

----

**Yeah, so there's my 5th chapter. It MAY be a little short, but hey, that's what I wrote down in my notebook. There's obviously some action here…and I think I did a pretty decent job with this chapter. I might not have said before, but I don't do so well with action… but I did my best. I promise. :) **

**And, as much as you all may NOT know…**

**April 3rd, 2007, is my best friend Mel's birthday. So when you review, wish her a happy birthday here, as well as her own story. She'll be posting it up then, as a birthday gift to herself. :) Just to let you all know. Teehee.**

**Okay, so please, review and give me deserving feedback. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

Hey everyone. It's me again! I'm now working on my 6th chapter, and this one is going to bring us all to Wendy's. I'm sorry, but when I was writing this chapter out, I was craving Wendy's, as well as a donut. (But I never mentioned a donut in the story…) Soo….as like, one of you may possibly know, I never GOT that donut…or Wendy's…but in the story, I felt satisfied. :)

Internal orgasms, my loves, internal orgasms.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.)**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**----**

**Past.**

"**How about the big red one that says 'Stop Everything'?" Speed looked at him, and he had already turned around to Layla, who had about 6 different plants wrapped around the cord and unmoving parts of the saw. Lash stretched his arm past Speed and hit the button, running over to Crystal before anything had affected the saw. Jumping on top of the girl, he stretched his chest around her, protecting her against the now scattering sparks from the sudden stop and drop - disconnecting the charge of the saw to cable. When everything ceased, Crystal leaned up to Lash's ear the best she could, whispering shakily.**

**"Now is there any possible way to get me out of here?"**

----

Warren took the vine-lowered saw and carried it to the window after it crashed to the ground from when he had just punched it away with an ash covered fist. He chucked it through the open window to the outside, watching it soar into the field of Sky High, as it burned freely to a crisp. He looked back at us, seeing Layla smile wildly.

"Do you think you could…?" Spencer trailed off, sitting by me.

"Aghh. - I'm going to be so stiff when I get out of these things." I said, and most of them chuckled. Warren walked to the other side of my table, opposite my brother. He looked down at my metal straps, looking as if he were thinking very hard.

"If I scorch you, I'm sorry." He said, lifting his finger above the shackle, holding down my left foot. In an instant his index finger flickered a flame, growing stronger like a welding tool.

I held still, not moving my ankle when he went to work. Spencer looked on, and Lash stood next to the table, fingers entangled in my own. I closed my eyes, and heard a 'clink' of metal hitting metal.

"Yes." I heard Layla whisper, and I could feel her smile brighten up the room.

Warren moved to my left right, and at this point in time when he lit the metal, I felt pain.

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" I cried, squinting my eyes, giving the people around me a grimace of immense pain. I felt Lash's hand let go of mine, and I opened them as Warren quickly stopped.

He knelt down to my wrist, and a small red mark lie atop of my skin. His eyes traveled to Layla, who perked up, nodding. In her pocket she pulled out a leaf, placing it on the burn and rubbing softly.

Smiling, she tucked the leaf under the strap, protecting my wrist.

"That should help with both the healing and the pain." Backing off she pulled up a chair beside my brother, who looked at her, letting her comfort him by patting the backside of his shoulder.

Warren went back to welding my wrist free, being more careful, now that he knew of a sensitive area. Lash winced at the whole procedure, but nevertheless went back to holding my hand.

Another clink, and a bell rang. No one moved - not even Spencer. When I looked to him, he muttered that we'd get the late busses. As he looked down at the table once more, we all heard a groan from the other side of the room.

Dr. Cranium was awake from his nap.

"My head…" he tried reaching for it, but realized he himself was strapped down. Spencer got up and ran to the power station, searching for a source to shock the older man.

"Try the switch here." Layla said, dropping a large-handled switch, and flipping 3 buttons.

"Where'd you learn all this?" Spencer asked, intrigued. Layla rolled her eyes and I giggled from the table. I had never seen anyone have the guts to roll their eyes at Spence…unless they were me.

"Horror movies? Frankenstein? Rocky Horror? All that jazz, alright? Of all the years living, you've never taken notice to these things?" She called over the hum of the chair's motor, which started to spark. Layla turned off the switch immediately once she saw the man change to 3 different colors under the pressure of the electrical power, screaming.

He sighed, trying to relax, but kept remembering that he was in a chair that could kill him.

Two clinks later, I sat up, stretching my muscles and getting off the table. Lash immediately picked me up and spun me, kissing me hard, holding the sides of my face.

Warren looked off to Dr. Cranium, walking towards the man. When he stood directly in front of him, he gave him a powerful punch - a regular one (not the fiery kind.). Cranium's head pulled back, and then the five of us left the classroom.

Lash and I walked hand in hand to the office as my brother ran ahead. Layla needed to find her boyfriend Will, and Warren decided to follow, guiding her with the palm of his hand on her lower back the opposite way the two of us were going.

And then I realized something. Lash and my brother worked with people they've bullied, and they didn't complain. I stopped walking, and pulled Lash back to me, and he flung himself back to me. I kissed him, thanking him for what he's done for me.

"All in a days work, love." He said simply, grasping his shirt where his heard was, smirking. We turned a corner to the office, and my brother stood there waiting.

"I told Powers what happened, and so she's gone to get the Super's Police Force up here. She didn't believe me at first, but when I mentioned 'Layla', 'Warren', and 'helped save my sister', her eyes went big," he widened his eyes to show them. "And she called." He said, using air quotes for Layla and Warren's names. I giggled, loving how stupid my brother sounds when he told stories. He gave me an odd look, but brushed it off, knowing it didn't matter. The three of us walked into the Office, and sat down in three of those cool types of executive chairs in front of Powers' desk. The woman wasn't in the room at that point in time, and I noticed a blue rubber band on her desk. I snatched it up, getting a weird look from Lash.

"I kept the leaf." I showed him, and he nodded slightly. I wrapped the runner band over the leaf on the scorch mark, and Lash picked up my hand from the side of the chair, kissing it like a perfect gentleman. (Is he not:) )

"Better?" he asked, looking into my eyes, smiling sincerely.

----

Lash looked to Powers when she walked in 10 minutes later. Before sitting down, she hugged Crystal. How un-principal-like. When the woman did sit down, she folded her hands in, and congratulated Lash and Speed, as well as Layla and Warren, even though she knew they weren't there. Sighing, she told them that the Super's Police Force took Dr. Cranium into custody, and that the secretaries in the Main Office will not make a mistake like this again.

Crystal looked to her brother and Lash and back to the principal.

"I kinda sorta missed lunch, and we all missed 5th period, and our busses." She said, holding her stomach against the loud grumbling of its emptiness. Powers smiled sweetly, holding her arms out to the side.

"I will call for a bus, and if you wish, Ron will stop at a fast-food place on the way to your homes. If do not have money, I'll make it certain that Ron will pay for your food. I know he won't mind." Lash smiled inwardly. He could kill for a chocolate milkshake and a big-ass cheeseburger. Whoever this 'Ron' character was, he better have let them eat on the bus ride home. Speed looked to Lash, and they both smirked.

Crystal stood up, thanking her while fidgeting with the new addition to her wrist, and the three of them went outside to wait for the bus.

When they stood on the steps of the entrance to Sky High, Crystal marveled the beauty of the empty area, the trees by themselves, and the empty ground for her to lay and admire the day. Speed ran off and showed up a few moments later, but kept running around the school grounds. Crystal ran off to the edge of the school grounds, laying down beneath a tree for shade. She felt the breeze of the cool air and sighed, closing her eyes, only to open them a few moments at a time to get used to the change of light. Lash stretched from the steps to the tree Crystal lay under, and climbed up a few branches, skillfully and unsoundly.

He watched her close her eyes for the last time, and looked her over as she smiled to herself. Lash wished everything in the world to know what was going on in her head - anything.

"Lash I can hear you." His head tilted, looking at her curiously through the branches. "Stop watching me! It's making me self conscious."

Speed's blur of a self stopped running, and slowly walked towards the tree to where they both were.

"Bus is here." He called up to his friend. He set his feet to the ground, stretching the rest of his body down moments later. Looking to Crystal, she let herself up, brushing herself off and the bus pulled up to the landing ground.

They walked to the bus, and the driver opened the door. He was about 35, and smiling from the driver's seat. He was chubby like Speed, and wore a 'Sky High' baseball cap. The man even had a nametag; Ron.

Crystal smiled, waving.

"Hi, uh, Principal Powers told us that -" she began, but stopped when he interrupted her.

"Yeah, I got the call. Strap in." he waved them inside. Speed walked in last.

"If you ever interrupt her again, your driving days are finished." He stomped to the back of the bus, each of the three having their own seats. Lash would have stretched out onto the other seat across from him, but remembered the rollercoaster of a ride back down to the solid ground, and sat up.

Ron gulped before turning around, asking, "Wendy's?" When they replied to him in their own way, he turned back to the wheel, driving off the island in the sky.

----

I love bus rides from Sky High. I do - I really do. To me, it's like riding a rollercoaster every morning, and back home. It makes me have this free feeling - something nothing can give me. Well, until very recently. Lash. He's always given my heart something, but the feelings we've told each other, I've understood that whenever I see him, whenever my heart does a back flip, his does too.

Now that we're on the road, the straps have come off. I looked back to my brother in the individual seat playing some sidekick's DS he had stolen from him before dunking his head in the toilet. Lash stretched out from the other side of the bus near the end, but also near me as well.

We pulled into the Wendy's drive through, and I stood up reaching into my pocket to pull out the $10 I had. Ron turned around and told us to quickly write down what we wanted, and with that Lash grabbed our lists and my money, and stretched his arm towards the front. He got up and sat by me, knocking me down beneath him.

I heard the DS game's sound come to a stop, and Spencer shouted.

"Ayy, yo!" he called, pointing a finger at Lash. "You may be my best friend, but play nice. Keep your hands to yourself." Lash scoffed like a girl would if she were mad or something, calling out to his friend.

"I'm sure if I did something inappropriate to Crys, she'd yell at me or scream - something." At that moment, he smiled mischievously, looking back to me as Spencer's game proceeded. He lowered his hand on my chest, and I opened my mouth to make it look as if I were to go and scream for my brother.

"Lash Livingston! How dare you!" I smiled evilly, speaking softly so that only he could hear. I let his hand stay where it was, and he smirked.

"Oh, behave." He mocked, as I pulled him closer to me, kissing him hard. He let go of me, and used both arms to pull me towards him, deepening the kiss.

"Food." Ron called from the front. We took another moment longer and then poke our heads up from my seat. Lash grabbed the bags, stretching to give my brother his bag, as well as his drink.

"I'm sorry love, but I'm starving." I spoke, leaning up from my horizontal position below him, grabbing my bag from his hands.

"Pshh, yeah. Sure." He joked, crossing his arms. I turned to him and bit the crook between neck and shoulder, causing him to raise his head and groan slightly. I smiled, satisfied, and took a French fry from the bag.

"What, you think you can get away so easily? No way, babe." He said, turning and leaning on my shoulder, curving his head and grabbing my skin with teeth. He pulled lightly, but then harder and harder, until I slammed my hand on his leg. He raised his head, chuckling to my ear, and whispered.

"Why hello there."

I blushed for 10 minutes straight.

----

**Yeah, so that's my 6th chapter. I love the ending. : I thought it would be pretty fun for everyone… (Hey that rhymed…) so I got it in. **

**Can you imagine Lash chuckling in your ear after biting your neck::sighs:: whoooo. IIIIII cannnn... heartsss**

**It's Mel's birthday everyone!!!**

**Alrighty now, review!! Much appreciation. Teehee.**


	7. Chapter 7

Heyy…It's Easter:)))) haha. Anyways. Here's my 7th chapter. I kinda got impatient with people not giving me reviews, and the only one to, was Mel. I know people read! C'mon, give me a break loves:(( So please…review this?

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.)**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

"**Oh, behave." He mocked, as I pulled him closer to me, kissing him hard. He let go of me, and used both arms to pull me towards him, deepening the kiss.**

**"Food." Ron called from the front. We took another moment longer and then poke our heads up from my seat. Lash grabbed the bags, stretching to give my brother his bag, as well as his drink.**

**"I'm sorry love, but I'm starving." I spoke, leaning up from my horizontal position below him, grabbing my bag from his hands.**

**"Pshh, yeah. Sure." He joked, crossing his arms. I turned to him and bit the crook between neck and shoulder, causing him to raise his head and groan slightly. I smiled, satisfied, and took a French fry from the bag.**

**"What, you think you can get away so easily? No way, babe." He said, turning and leaning on my shoulder, curving his head and grabbing my skin with teeth. He pulled lightly, but then harder and harder, until I slammed my hand on his leg. He raised his head, chuckling to my ear, and whispered.**

**"Why hello there."**

**I blushed for 10 minutes straight.**

----

When we got to our house, I grabbed the bag of food and milkshake, standing up. Lash stretched off the bus without a word, and Spence closely followed. I walked to Ron, shook his hand with a thankful smile, and jumped off the bus. The boys were already inside.

As the bus drove away, I heard a happy scream from the house. Running to the door, it flew open and Mom had fallen to the ground, bringing me along for the ride. And at that moment, I understood her feelings. I felt kind of odd, beginning to cry about something that had happened an hour and a half ago after the whole incident, but I realized that it didn't hit me yet - up until now.

My mother and I lay on the grass holding each other, crying. Lash appeared at the doorway, shaking his head, muttering.

"Girls." Spence appeared behind him, nodding. "They're so emotional." Lashed laughed, grabbing Spencer's shirt, motioning to close the door.

We ended up lying in the grass, calming down. My mother and I talked about anything that came up, anything at all - my emotions when I was going through the entire incident, how everyone helped me out, and even the fact that I kept something from the escape. The two of us hadn't noticed the time change, until her stomach started to growl, and I looked to the sky, where the sun was already down; it looked to be around 8:30.

Lash opened the door to ask Mom if anyone was going to cook dinner. I giggled to myself as I thought 'wow, he knew when to show up'. My mother sat up and told him to make whatever he wanted.

"French toast it is, Speed! Dinner's on me, man!" he shouted, closing the door. A few moments later, he opened it again. "Do any of you lovely ladies want dinner from an amazing cook?" he smiled, and my heart skipped a beat. I loved the feeling I get every time he smiles - even when it's not at me.

My mother looked towards me, and looked back to the striped-shirted boy in the doorway.

"No, actually, we don't. I'm planning to take her to Olive Garden right now." My eyes went wide, and I sat up.

"Seriously!?" I cried, my mouth agape. There was nothing more delicious in the world, than Olive Garden. Take it from me, I know. She nodded, and then had turned back to Lash.

"Would you mind calling up for Spencer, dear? To see if he would like to come as well?" Lash slightly pouted, and it took a lot of me not to jump up and kiss it away. But he crossed his arms in the process, and I giggled instead.

"What about me?" he said through his pout. My mother raised her hand and scoffed small.

"Lash, you're part of this family - in some way. You're obviously going." I smirked. He shut the door, and I heard him calling up to Speed once more. I looked towards my mom, and she gave me a knowing look.

"You like him." She said, crossing her arms. "I felt that heart of yours skip from the ground." **(Remember her powers? Super speed and elementals…)**

"Aw, damn." I snapped my finger, lowering my hand. "You and your elements, Mom." I glanced at her through my shady brown hair.

"You like him - a lot. I can't just feel it - I can see it…in your eyes, Crystal love." She said, then smiling wide, her eyes full of fun. Uh oh…

"Crys and Lash - sittin' in a tree -"

"Mah!" I cried out, knowing she didn't like being called that. "You can be SO immature sometimes." I laughed, getting up from the ground.

"Yeah, well, who's old enough to drive?" She said, lifting a set of keys from her belt.

"Well, I am, but uhhh…you won't pay for a car." She kept waving the keys as she began to walk to the street and unlock the Volvo. I growled, but stopped when the boys exited the house.

----

They piled into the car, Speed in front. Lash stood with the passenger door open for Crystal, who blushed slightly and sat down. He closed the door, and Crystal's mom gave her a look in the mirror. The other passenger door opened shortly after, and they drove off across town towards the restaurant.

As Speed opened the door Crystal jumped on Lash's back, and Mary shook her head smiling. They all walked in and Crystal was turned around, plopping down on the couch.

"Gah!" she cried, trying to get back up as Lash walked towards the kitchen to put the leftovers he held for himself away in the fridge. "Hey, I got breadsticks here!" Crystal said, waving the bag in the air. Lash's arm appeared before her, opening the bag as she tried to lower it, defending her food. But she was too slow, and when she ran to the kitchen, Crystal was face to face with a breadstick-in-mouth Lash.

The girl huffed, and the oven door opened and closed in a pattern with the fridge door, and Lash looked at her in pure amusement, whipping out the bread, giving her a buttery-garlic kiss on the forehead, running up the stairs. Speed was on his bed spread eagle, staring at the ceiling.

"What did you do this time?" he asked, rolling over onto his side when Lash came in.

He waved the breadstick in his fingers, chewing merrily.

"I feel like I just got away with murder." He said, taking another bite, already muffling his speech with the last still in his mouth. Speed shrugged.

"In reality to Crystal, you did. No one eats the Olive Garden breadsticks - not even Mom. I mean, hell any other restaurant's breadsticks, go ahead. But Olive Garden? Fuck that man." He said, spreading out again. Lash sat backwards in Speed's computer chair, and laughed in triumph over his own garlicky goodness.

----

Mom turned on the news from the living room, and I took a stick cautiously to it, sitting next to her in my special spot. I didn't look or notice what was going on until I heard 'Dr.' and 'let out.'

I looked up, seeing a mug shot of someone who looked fairly the same to Dr. Cranium.

"Dr. Stephen Grayheart was let out today; he was accused of what we know to be accidental death turned manslaughter, but from what we know, he is completely innocent" Mom gawked at the TV as well.

"Grayheart is Cranium's civilian name." she held my arm, not looking away from the television.

"BOYS!" she cried, and about 5 seconds later I fainted.

----

"Crys!" Lash shook her, calling out. He turned to Mary. "What happened?" Mary looked to both boys as Lash cradled her daughter in his arms. He looked to her, as did Speed, demanding once more, only his voice this time, was a bit weak. "What happened?"

Mary closed her eyes and felt the 3 beats of the three teenagers in the room from the ground. She noted that one heart was beating faster than the others, and a tear fell from her eye. Gulping, she opened her eyes, and Lash scowled as he noticed a large tear fall right behind the first.

"They've released Dr. Cranium." Speed's eyes opened wide in shock, running to lock all doors in the home.

Lash shook Crystal lightly, brushing his cheek upon hers, whispering little hopefuls for her to wake.

----

_I knew I fell asleep - it couldn't have been real. Lash was upstairs at home with Spencer…and Mom…wasn't he?_

_All I knew now, truly - was that this was a dream. I wasn't home anymore - I was standing by a nearby Dairy Queen, right around the corner where that kid Warren worked. I looked on the streets ahead of me, and there was chaos. Fires, car crashes, dead bodies piling the streets as cars honked for the piles to move. It was quite horrendous._

_I wanted to begin walking, trying to find someone, anyone, to tell me what happened. Knowing this was a dream, I knew that wouldn't be so hard. But I stepped on something not hard like concrete, but soft, like a velvet pillow below my foot._

_Lash._

_He was phasing, his body giving off twitching motions every other moment. His eyes were changing - from a deep, red, to his natural chocolate brown. Whenever his eyes were red, he would smile, but not the smile that made my heart leap. This smile, was the smile that made my stomach curdle. This smile was the type of smile you would give someone before you tried to slice someone's neck off and place it on your desk as a god forbidden fuckin' trophy._

_My eyes flickered to the being standing in front of me whenever his eyes changed to red. Dr. Cranium's arms were out, as if saying "I've succeeded." As he faded with Lash's red eyes, I walked over and lifted his head from the concrete, holding him close._

_"Crystal, you've got to save me." He said, burying his sweaty face in my chest. "The pain scratches at me - I die a little inside whenever he takes over." Tears welled up in my eyes and he raised his face to my own. What he told me next, made me shake my head repeatedly._

_"If something isn't done soon, Crys, he'll fully -" his eyes turned red, his soft facial features becoming fierce, scowling. "Get off me, you bitch! You've gone and done nothing but ruin my life! I should ki -" his eyes went back to chocolate brown before this hand could smack my cheek._

_I looked at him, and he looked to me, kissing me for reassurance._

_"He'll fully take over." His eyes softened, but still strong. I stood up, grabbing his hands to bring him along. I turned back to look for a spot to sit in, so we weren't in the middle of the road. Even in my dreams, cars sped by like they were being chased by cop cars. And here, they were. When I looked back, his face was pulled into a grimace, his eyes a dark red. I was caught off guard, and he shoved me away._

_I closed my eyes for a painful point of impact, but remembering it was a dream, I opened them. Lash now stood above me._

_"Help me, love?" His chocolate eyes pleaded, and he held my hand, which woke me up._

"Lash!" I screamed out, not yet feeling my protector's arms wrapped around my body. I quickly opened my eyes, and saw him above me, sitting on the couch. I looked to the rest of myself, seeing a blanket tossed over me, my head in his lap.

He jumped, not yet noticing my movements before screaming. When he looked to me, I studied his eyes, his smile.

"Oh my god." I breathed, my voice cracking as I wrapped my arms around his neck and beginning to cry.

"Shhh." He said, stroking my hair. "It's alright dahlin', I'm here…" Lash wiped two tears from my eyes, and brought his face to my own, kissing others falling quickly.

"Tell me what happened." He said simply. I looked to the clock - 1:30 in the morning. Mom and Spencer had gone to bed already. I sat up in his lap, curling into a ball before him.

"Dr. Cranium took control of you. I stood there, watching his appear and disappear whenever your eyes would go red. I was horrified - you were pleading -" I said, and he put his finger to his lips. I hadn't noticed I was getting louder. Sometimes I do that whenever I would be wicked stressed out.

I sighed, calming down a notch. I looked up at him, watching his eyes flicker as my reflection showed in them. Slowly, I finished the rest of my story, closing my eyes, breathing out.

**----**

When she finished speaking, Lash felt Crystal's head fall on him and felt the slight tickle of closing eyelashes against his bare chest. She gave him one last squeeze before falling asleep once more, giving Lash the chance to grab a pillow and lie down, making her more comfortable, even if she were sleeping in her jeans.  
Into the early morning, Lash woke up to keys jingling and the front door opening. 'Michael' he thought, going stiff underneath Crystal's crawled up form on his chest. When her father stepped inside the house, he stopped, not expecting the two figures on the couch. He pocketed his keys, and sighed in relief, to know that it was only his fright.  
When he noticed that it was his daughter in the arms of his son's best friend, he gave Lash a look of confusion. "I bet I missed something…" he nodded at the older man, and whispered to him what had happened up at the school, and bits and pieces of the day before. Michael stood shocked, unable to process what had happened while he was away.

"I need to stop going on business trips…" he muttered, giving a worried 'okay' with his hand before tip-toeing into the room he shared with his wife.

Lash nodded for the last time, and looked to the clock above the television. 5:30. He yawned, wrapping his arms around Crystal, and she nuzzled her face in his neck. The boy closed his eyes, falling asleep to the hot rhythm of Crystal's breath on his skin.

Later on, he woke with a start, eyes opening, burning from the bright lights of the living room. Apparently Speed dropped a plate, and it shattered when it hit the ground.

"Sorry!" he called out lazily to the air, not knowing who would hear him. Lash shook his head, knowing how clumsy he was, as well as his history with broken plates.

He looked to his bare chest, which was now covered with the bright blue blanket covering Crystal the night before. But now she wasn't.

"Yo, Speed!" he called, his voice extremely raspy. He sat up, seeing his friend peer into the room from the kitchen.

"Whu?" he said lazily, his mouth slightly open still,

Lash closed his eyes tightly, clasping his hands over them, and if to squish them.

"Ugh. Uh" he said, opening his eyes back to Speed. "Where'd Crystal go?" Speed shrugged, saying that when he came downstairs he didn't see her. Lash whipped the blanket off, running up the stairs, He worried something serious happened, but had to tell himself that she was okay, she was alright. That she wasn't stolen from the house after her father came home. Lash wasn't even sure if Michael had even locked the door after entering the home.

Standing in front of her closed door, he took a breath, and opened it. She was lying on her bed, headphones on, reading a book. Some of the stuffed animals on the shelf were dancing, only because Crystal's power was reaching out for interaction. Lash mentally placed a hand on his heart, thanking God what he thought earlier wasn't what it was now.

Since she was facing away from the door, Lash shut it softly, and did a stretch-leap into her, causing her to screech with surprise, and drop her book. It landed on the floor and shut immediately, showing the title _Twilight._ Lash bought it for her 14th birthday, and she says it's her favorite book, preferring it more than the sequel,_ New Moon._ (She's read the book so many times.) He laughed as her headphones fell off her head, onto her neck, where they both heard the lyrics coming from the headphones.

_"I'm sick with apprehension, I'm crippled from exhaustion, and I dread the moment, when you finally come to kill me."_

Lash smirked, crawling on top of her, kissing her forehead.

"Mornin' love." He said simply, as she chuckled a bit when he crashed onto her, nuzzling into her neck, loving the smell of her hair and skin.

----

His attack was welcoming, but obviously surprising. 'He truly cares for me'. I thought, and Lash lifted his head, squinting away towards the window, holding his head just above his right temple.

"Ow…" he muttered, hissing in that way to express an "ohmygod-this-suck" type of pain.

I immediately knocked off my headphones from around my neck, sitting up to him. Hoping it wasn't serious, I looked at him, stroking his hair as he removed his hand, and finally tried 'kissing it better'.

Lash smirked, but the pain in his eyes still showed small. He pushed me down against my mattress, and I laughed a bit. He sprawled across me - I kissed his nose, asking a question, my eyes to his.

"Did I make it better?" I asked in a small voice, laughing. He gave me a knowing look, smiling. He brought his fingers to my torso, and began tickling down to my jeans, smiling more as I burst into fits of giggles, unable to escape his fingers. Lash kissed me strongly, and whispered in my ear -

Crystal, you make _everything_ better."

**Yeah…that's my chapter. :)**

**Hopefully, you'll start reviewing again. I practically live off them now. :( Which is sort of sad…**

**And the whole concept of getting Cranium out…the whole TV reporter thingy was kind of…stupid. I just needed a bit to get him out. Anyways…**

**Oh well. Review:)**

**Happy Easterrrrrr. **


	8. Chapter 8

I thought that I might have time typing all this out before we all leave for my gram's house up at the Cape(for Easter, baby!). Sooo. Here's my **_8th_** chapter. :))) I have the music blaring in my ears as my brothers are behind me playing video games to the song "I Like Dirt" (I totally made them listen to the song. It's on repeat right now…my fault.)

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.)**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

**His attack was welcoming, but obviously surprising. 'He truly cares for me'. I thought, and Lash lifted his head, squinting away towards the window, holding his head just above his right temple.**

**"Ow…" he muttered, hissing in that way to express an "ohmygod-this-suck" type of pain.**

**I immediately knocked off my headphones from around my neck, sitting up to him. Hoping it wasn't serious, I looked at him, stroking his hair as he removed his hand, and finally tried 'kissing it better'.**

**Lash smirked, but the pain in his eyes still showed small. He pushed me down against my mattress, and I laughed a bit. He sprawled across me - I kissed his nose, asking a question, my eyes to his.**

**"Did I make it better?" I asked in a small voice, laughing. He gave me a knowing look, smiling. He brought his fingers to my torso, and began tickling down to my jeans, smiling more as I burst into fits of giggles, unable to escape his fingers. Lash kissed me strongly, and whispered in my ear -**

**"Crystal, you make _everything_ better."**

----

We lay there until the CD I was listening to came to a whirring stop on the floor by my bed.

With his chin resting on my head and my lips on his throat, I felt his arms loosen around me.

"I think I should go home around 3…" I heard him say, his vocal chords vibrating against my mouth. Groaning, I muttered a complaint.

"What time is it?" Feeling him move beside me, I felt the cold of the air around us, and he sighed.

"12:30." I pouted against his skin, but stopped once I felt his lips on my head. I looked up, blinking every so often.

"You should hang with Spence - I wanna call Layla, she what she's doing." Lash grimaced a bit, but looked over to my wrist as I brought it up to stroke his cheek. I knew he saw the leaf, for his face softened against my cool hands, and he gave a small smile.

Watching him nod, I got up, stretching.

"You shouldn't be bothered with that, love." I told him simply, picking up the book I was reading about a half hour before, off the floor where it lay. When I didn't get a response from Lash, I turned around to look at him, and his hands were in fists, looking around my room.

"Lash?" I questioned him, confused. He kept looking at my door, my mirror across my bed, and my window. It was odd to see, since everything in this room has been the same for so long. What would he be looking for? When I called his name again, he shook his head, squinting like before.

"Hm. What? I sort of blacked out for a moment." He scratched the side of his face and stood up, smirking slightly as he jumped over to me and off my bed.

"Never mind." I muttered, shaking my head. He shrugged, kissing my forehead and walking out of my room.

----

Lash didn't really understand what was going on. Every so often he would black out - forget what was going on. It was odd to him - strange, in fact. This has never happened before!

Walking into Speed's room he dropped onto the futon mattress he used whenever he slept over.

"Glad you could make it, kid." He said to Lash, walking in and sitting on the floor facing him. "I was thinking about going to the Charlie Horse - play some air hockey, win some prizes, kick some ass…" he told him, making small arm movements to show 'air hockey', 'basketball' and kicking ass.

Lash nodded as he folded his arms behind his head. He thought of nothing better to do for the next 2 and a half hours.

When they heard the door slam downstairs, Lash knew Crystal was already on her way to her new friend's house. He knew of Layla and her little gang of sidekicks - her superhero boyfriend. Lash only hoped Crystal wouldn't be fully sucked into their gang. He thought of it as something that would distract her from him, and he didn't really feel like sharing often.

Speed had his license. Lash told him once that there was no point in a car if you could've run faster than it, but Speed was excited nonetheless to get a junkie.

When Lash dove into the passenger seat, he bounced back against a loose spring in the seat. Cringing, he disregarded it, and sat there in a weird position so he wouldn't get hurt again.

Reaching the restaurant, they walked inside. The two of them took seats in the game room, and Speed checked out a handful of blonde bimbos and kept telling Lash what he wanted to do with him.

"Haha Speed. Behave yourself." He told his friend, smirking at the girls. They waved towards him, giggling and trying to look cute, but Lash turned his head away. Lash didn't want to do anything with the girls, he never even thought of talking to them. He kept thinking about nothing more than Crystal when he looked at his friend's scoping eye candy, but then he began thinking that since being with his best friend's sister, he hasn't spent much time with Speed - even though it's been about 2 full days really. Feeling guilty, he let his friend scope out, and told him to go up to them, and Lash wandered off, taking down a few kids who sucked at DDR over by the Area 51 games.

----

I knocked on the door to Layla's house, and heard nothing from the other side.

"Out back!" a voice yelled from the backyard, and I ran past the side of the house, noting that it was completely covered in beautiful blooming flowers.

I found Layla sitting on a plant hammock, talking with Magenta, the purpled-out Goth, who had leaned over and laughed just after she had fallen backwards off the hammock.

Smirking, I was welcomed to sit with them (but I didn't until Magenta crawled back on).

"How's your day?" Layla said simply, lifting her legs up to hug them instead of letting them dangle.

"Uh - I spent most of it with Lash..." At the corner of my eye, I saw Maj's jaw drop slightly. I looked towards the girl. "Well what do you expect? I'm 'Speed's' sister." I said, using air quotes when I said 'Speed'. Deciding not to mention the part when I started dating Lash, both girls shrugged in agreement. I wiped the imaginary sweat drop from my forehead, and leaned back into the shade from the trees above us. They did the same, and we talked about other unimportant things, until I remembered something.

I sat up, looking to my shoes.

"Guys…" I began, getting to become a lot more nervous than before. "Dr. Cranium has been released under his civilian name. He wasn't charged for anything." Layla had hit her head with her hand.

"Damnit…" she muttered. "What are the plans?" I shrugged, looking towards the hammock. The white rose petals stuck out randomly, yet there were no thorns. I brushed a hand along a vine, and shrugged once more.

"Prolly just stick close to people I have trust in the most…" I felt Maj's eyes on my back, but she sat up sooner after that. Layla looked towards me, as if to ask if I trusted her well enough. I knew she had a kind heart, and admiring her skills and ability to save the high school I've already come to love, I looked her over before flashing my wrist - which yes, still held the leaf. The burn was long gone - I had kept it there as a reminder that someone had taken a chance to help me.

She smiled, holding out her fist, and we knuckled each other, and the three of us lay back down, and I sighed.

When I got home, Spencer was on the couch, flipping channels as if it were the last thing to do on Earth.

"Hey," he muttered, not taking his eyes off the television to see who was at the door. I waved at him, and looked to the clock. 5:30 pm.

"CSI is on Spike soon." I called, smiling slightly at my stupid knowledge of the show's time. Mel had gotten me into it. Shutting the door as I ran up the stairs to my room. Spence sat up, flickering channels still. Shaking my head I walked into my room and turned on my computer for the first time since about Thursday.

Signing onto AIM, I smiled to myself as I noticed Lash on too. Once I clicked the 'x' on the buddy list (I think it's annoying as anything…), I saw his screenname pop open a new window.

**(A/N: yeah…I used my own screenname…but I'm not exactly sure about Lash's…Oh, and I don't actually appreciate having to type out computer lingo here, soooo…if I did, it was only minor. And if you couldn't tell, the words in _italics_ are what Crystal is thinking throughout the conversation.)**

**LashTheGreat: **Hey babeee. _I smiled._

**So Fantasmarific:** Yo Lash. How was the Charlie Horse? _Stretching my fingers above the keyboard I watched the little signal tell me he was typing._

**LashTheGreat:** Eh. your bro kept scoping girls ( . ) _I smirked. He usually did that…_

**So Fantasmarific: **That's Spence for yah.

**LashTheGreat:** I kept spacing too. I'm laying on my bed right now.

**LashTheGreat:** I've got a cramp in my side… ( . ) _Aw, that sucks._

**LashTheGreat:** Too many chicken fingers and DDR? _I hate DDR._

**So Fantasmarific:** haha. Is there a rule for extreme DDR and eating? _I laughed to myself. I'm so retarded._

**LashTheGreat:** not like swimming. But it's still painful.

**LashTheGreat:** but we beat some random kid at it and then some chick from school showed up and kept stepping on the arrows while i was jumping on it._ What The Fuck? haha. Bitch._

**So Fantasmarific:** the nerve of her. lol.

**LashTheGreat:** yeah, she's into me. I mean - who couldnt resist me? _Could I?_

**So Fantasmarific:** lol. If I wanted to, I could. _COULD I?_

**LashTheGreat: **No you couldnt. _I snickered._

**So Fantasmarific: **yeah you're right. ::sigh::

**So Fantasmarific: **Anyways…

**LashTheGreat:** Anyways. So we got kicked out. _Random much? Wonder what happened._

**So Fantasmarific: **o.O Why?! Spence didn't mention that when I came home… _He didn't mention much of anything, actually._

**LashTheGreat: **Bummer.

**So Fantasmarific: **So what happened?

**LashTheGreat: **Apparently I knocked down a pool table and threw a few cokes at a handful of people. _My eyebrows did a 'The Rock', and I stared at the screen._

**So Fantasmarific:** And the sudden urge to do this was…

**LashTheGreat: **I have no idea. I don't even remember doing it. _He was drinking. Dammit Lash! Seriously._

**So Fantasmarific: **were you drinking?

**So Fantasmarific: **you know I hate it when you and Spence drink.

**LashTheGreat: ** actually, no, I wasn't. Something just came over me. _This isn't normal._

**So Fantasmarific: **Odd…

**So Fantasmarific: **Very odd. _I sniffed the air, and I looked down at my dirty clothes._

**LashTheGreat: **mm. Oh well. I'm home now. Pretty wiped out. _I should take a shower…an extra loooooong shower. Shave my legs while I'm at it…_

**So Fantasmarific: **I can believe that.

**So Fantasmarific: **Anyway, I think im gunna go. _Take that shower:)_

**LashTheGreat: ** Am I boring you? _I sighed into the air, looking down at the keys._

**So Fantasmarific: **LMFAO. Like you could ever.

**So Fantasmarific: **no, im gunna go shower and wander around the house in PJ's, you were in dire need to know. _I smirked, giggling a bit._

**LashTheGreat: **Ohhh. 

**LashTheGreat: **Well then - have a blast. See ya tomorrow. _I know love - I've got something planned._

**So Fantasmarific: **bye lovesss.

_**So Fantasmarific **has signed off._

I pulled away from my computer desk, leaning back to sigh at the ceiling.

----

Lash leaned up on his elbow, looking at the last bits of the conversation before closing his laptop and his eyes, trying to remember what happened earlier.

--

_"Yeah man! Throw another one!" Speed cried out, his hand in the air to cheer Lash on. Lash looked at him a moment, and gave him a confused look._

_"What the hell are you fuckin' talking about?" Speed put his hand down, looking quite stupid. _

_--_

_"Please, sir! Stop this! We're soaked to the bone!" A woman screamed out, protecting her children underneath her from the flying ice cubes that were being pelted at them, their shirts soaked so much you could see the vivid red of their skin from being hit so many times._

_--_

_"Young man, we're going to have to take you outside. You're completely out of control!" a worker in red had shouted at him, taking his arm and getting another person to grab the other arm, and Speed trailed loudly after them, saying that Lash was being framed._

_--_

_"Dude, you did fuckin' awesome! Where'd this idea come from? WHOO!" Speed said, jumping into the driver side of the junkie car and pounding up on the roof from inside. Lash stretched in, being high- fived for something he didn't know the reason to, and his other hand on his head, experiencing a very bad migraine._

_"I still have no idea what happened."_

--

Squinting away the blips of slight memory he had that night, Lash sat up on his bed, glancing at his alarm clock. 6:37. Groaning he got to his feet and went to his dresser, looking into the mirror hanging behind it.

As he looked at his reflection, he noticed the newest things - bags under his eyes - his energy drained. Pulling down his left eyelid to inspect, he grimaced, letting go and sighing. He didn't know what was going on with him lately.

----

When Lash woke up, he got in the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist when he got out. Walking to his room, he jumped slightly, unexpecting the small figure in the beanbag chair by the window, listening to a CD.

"Crystal, why are you here so early? It's…" he glanced to the clock by his bed. "It's 6:30. Never mind." She nodded, standing up, taking off the headphones and crawling onto his queen bed. Pulling on his shoulder with her mind, she brought him down onto the bed. Crystal was underneath him, letting droplets of water from his hair fall onto her exposed neck and shoulders. She had been wearing her favorite (and Lash's, mind you - he thought she looked rather delightful) black and white shoulder-less sweater, and all of her - shoulders up, was covered in little drops of water. Lash felt a slight bit uncomfortable above her with only a towel on, but by the looks of it Crystal didn't mind.

"I was woken early, so I got ready - and I had time, so I walked over - your door was open, so I just made myself at home." She spoke, smiling. Lash gave her an Eskimo kiss, and then kissed her fully on the lips.

"That's wonderful, love. But I myself have to get ready. Shall we do this later?" he asked her in his British accent, leaning out and getting off Crystal. She pouted, but nevertheless sat up, crossing her legs and folding her hands, smiling.

He looked at her, confused. "What are you planning?"

Her smile turned to a frown, but only for a moment.

"What makes you think that?" Lash threw a shirt at her, trying to cover her eyes.

"You. You didn't just come here to hang out with me." He said, pointing a finger at Crystal while holding on tightly to his towel.

"There's no plan, Lash. God - you don't even think I can take a hint? Fine - don't let me stay here while you change." She said, a little sour in her voice. Lash winced.

"I'm not used to changing while someone is watching," he tried, and she turned around, facing away from him.

"It's not like I haven't seen your assets before." She muttered softly, and Lash blushed to himself while she crossed her arms, a slight impatient. Lash was trying to get his pants on.

"Yeah, well we were young and stupid and carefree -"

"Ha, you were 13 and bored. I mean I was scarred for life once -" Lash's eyes went wide as she turned slightly back to him; he hadn't gotten his leg in yet.

"Eh!" he called, shooing her back to her position.

"Like I was saying - I was scarred for life once I saw my brother running down the street" By this time Lash had his pants on, and wrapped his muscular arms around Crystal, turning her around.

"Well, at least no one else was watching." Crystal snickered.

"Dahlin, I've got the whole streaking part of that night on DVD." Lash's facial expression changed from happy, to horrified and scared. Crystal laughed out loud at this point, but stopped once Lash glared at her and pushed her off the bed.

"God, I didn't know you'd be so worked up about it! I didn't show anyone!" Crystal cried out, rubbing her elbows in pain from the fall, not noticing Lash's now vacant expression.

"Crys? You okay?" he said, lifting her up off the floor. Crystal looked up to glare at him.

"No, I'm not okay." She growled. "Is anyone okay after someone pushes them off a bed like that?"

Lash looked confused as he offered his hand, only to have it swatted away by her, getting to her feet.

"Seriously Lash…what made you do that?" Shaking his head, Lash's eyes were full of anger, but not at her. It looked like he was fighting with himself.

----

**Yeah, so that's my 8th chapterrr. **

**gothicluver13: Dr. Cranium DID get sent to jail that day, but he was trialed, and had been 'proven' innocent, soooo he got to leave. I just had to get him out…for later chapters.**

**Inferno: Thank you!  I'm psyched that you seem to like my story. Woo! **

**I'd like to thank ALL of my reviewers. You seriously made days. **

**Questions? Comments? Anything (for reviews)? Mkays.**

**Soo. Do it. Hit the button!**


	9. Chapter 9

It's the morning. And my mom disconnected the internet. I'm sort of pissed, cause I wanted to see if fanfiction would upload any of my chapters today. It's not fair! I've seen a whole handful of people start uploading, and I can't seem to figure out how to do ittt. Supportfanfiction is NOT working. I told Mel, "They should have a phone number we could call whenever the support system doesn't work." And do they? No.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.)**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

"**Like I was saying - I was scarred for life once I saw my brother running down the street" By this time Lash had his pants on, and wrapped his muscular arms around Crystal, turning her around.**

**"Well, at least no one else was watching." Crystal snickered.**

**"Dahlin, I've got the whole streaking part of that night on DVD." Lash's facial expression changed from happy, to horrified and scared. Crystal laughed out loud at this point, but stopped once Lash glared at her and pushed her off the bed.**

**"God, I didn't know you'd be so worked up about it! I didn't show anyone!" Crystal cried out, rubbing her elbows in pain from the fall, not noticing Lash's now vacant expression.**

**"Crys? You okay?" he said, lifting her up off the floor. Crystal looked up to glare at him.**

**"No, I'm not okay." She growled. "Is anyone okay after someone pushes them off a bed like that?"**

**Lash looked confused as he offered his hand, only to have it swatted away by her, getting to her feet.**

**"Seriously Lash…what made you do that?" Shaking his head, Lash's eyes were full of anger, but not at her. It looked like he was fighting with himself.**

----

I ended up letting it go, and he finished getting ready for school. It was only at our bus stop did I completely stop in my tracks. Of all what was going on, I had forgotten my dream I had a few nights ago.

"LASH!" I screeched, many heads turning towards me from a big group of chatting freshmen. Lash turned his head towards me as well, and I held onto his arm, jolting him back slightly.

"_Cranium. Remember when I told you about my dream? It's happening Lash. It's happening to you." _My mouth never moved, it was my thoughts - I transferred them to him, and his eyes went wild, and I let go of his arm, and I squished my eyes closed. He held me against him, and I breathed his scent in, burying my face in his chest.

The freshmen began whispering, looking over and pointing to us, giggling. I separated from Lash to give them a 'if-you-giggle-one-more-time-at-me-I-will-rip-your-throat-out' glare, and Lash sat down on the concrete, grabbing my hand to do the same.

When I sat down beside him, I started to cry silent tears, and he wiped them away with his thumb, yet not being able to stop my tears altogether. Lash leaned in, kissing them away, and I crinkled my nose and smiled a bit - when he did that, it had tickled, and sent a shiver down my spine.

The bus pulled up, and Bill pulled his hat down a smidgen to say 'hello' to us all. Pulling me up, Lash took my hand in his own and jumped on the bus. I heard him sigh in his seat by the aisle, and I slowly tugged him my way, letting him rest his head in my lap.

As I watched him close his eyes, I looked towards his features. His shaggy brown hair, the dark circles under his eyes, the lips the boy had had even captivated me. Brushing my left hand into his hair he smirked, and something small and wet hit his cheek. A tear. My tear.

When Lash's eyes opened, he immediately went to comfort me, brushing his own hand against my face.

"There's no need to cry, love." He told me, sitting up and kissing me. I could hear the sounds of talk behind us become crickets, as if everyone had died. Apparently sitting in the seat behind Bill was even a bad idea. Everyone saw us.

'Oh well.' I thought, leaning into the kiss more, holding the back of his neck, feeling his pulse throb. When we broke, I looked at the corner of my eye to the freshmen girls who were now leaning into one another, ready to whisper gossip. Glaring, I had looked back to Lash, who had now wiped a tear from my chin. Feeling my eyes soften I fell against him, and he hugged me, his chin resting at the top of my head.

"What are we going to do, Lash?" I asked him, now hearing his heartbeat flutter rapidly. I felt his hand caress my hair down my back, and I heard him sigh.

"I'm not sure, Crystal. I'm really not sure at all." The bus came to another neighborhood - my own, and I saw my brother get on.

"Hey." He plopped into the seat behind us, not yet noticing the puffiness of my eyes. "What's goin' on?" He leaned back in the seat, crossing his arms as he looked out his window. When Spencer said a 'what's going on', he never expected answers. It came natural to him, and so we all had stopped saying what was 'going on'. Up until right now, that is.

"Dr. Cranium is taking over Lash." I told him. His head jerked to us, and his expression changed immediately.

"What?" he said, as if he were being back-talked by a child. Lash nodded, making my head move slightly against his chest. "I don't understand this…" he said, leaning forward and giving a confused look. Lash let go of me softly, and I pulled back, expecting something like an insult - from Cranium, not him. But he kissed my forehead, turning his body towards Spencer.

"He's been in and out since he was released from prison."

"What do you mean 'in and out'?" Lash sighed, and I felt a pang of impatience. Spencer asked a lot of questions. In a way I couldn't blame him - he didn't know much about this.

"It means he's been controlling Lash at particular times of anything, and Lash had no control." I told him, huffing. Lash looked at me, bewildered.

"I do have some control. Just this morning, after I realized I pushed you…" Spencer whipped his face towards Lash.

"You _pushed_ her? Why the hell would you do that?!" I hit my brother on the head with my hand.

"Hey! Douchebag! It was Cranium! - duh." Spencer's mouth went into an 'O', and suddenly he got what we were saying.

"Oh…OH!" he said, hitting his forehead. "So what are we planning to do?" Lash shrugged, and I rubbed his shoulder.

"What were you saying about controlling him?" I muttered, and he nodded to me.

"When you kept asking why I pushed you, I got really confused, and I felt this tingle in the back of my head, and a flash of Cranium in front of Crystal." He turned to the two of us, and went on. "Cranium was laughing, his arms out - and there were this gigantic pressure, and I punched him, but when he blacked out, there was this big ass pain in my gut and then it phased to me that I was back in my room, with you."

At this point, Bill pressed the button for the straps, and we turned around in our seats, and held each others hands. My right in Lash's left, we played with our thumbs. I looked out the window, and I obviously knew that today wouldn't be filled with candy and sugarplum fairies - but I did wonder what was to happen.

When the bus hit the landing zone of the school, I broke off and wandered away from my beau and brother. I had to find her - I had to find Melissa.

You see, Melissa was one of the girls I met last year during power placement. (She was one of the few to pull out their wallets to pay that $15 newcomer's fee too, but I automatically pulled her hand down, already knowing the two boys' scheme.) The girl was the only one to sit by herself on the bus to school, and so when we reached it that first day, I introduced myself. I didn't know anyone except Lash and Spencer, and I didn't want to go to school being the loner.

During power placement, Melissa was placed in hero class for her ability to turn invisible and toss cars across the room. When I earned her trust she told me she had this genetic disease, and it made her gather and drink blood. It was that disease that people may call others Vampires because of it, but she wasn't. It wasn't her fault she was this way, it was her father's, and she felt like she was a freak because of it. Mel told me that if she didn't consume it, she would be decayed.

I was shocked at first, but I didn't stay away from her like she had feared. I thought it was quite unique, and I felt it was a pretty cool fact about her. We stuck together like glue since then.

When I saw her hanging by a tree near the entrance to the school, I ran over to her, seeing her wave papers in her hand.

"Cranium's been arrested for trying to steal a time machine. I thought you might like the printout." She said, her curly brown hair bouncing when she talked. Mel got excited a lot, and when that happened, there was nothing to do to stop her from being so perky. This is why she's in the Drama Club.

----

Lash dunked another sidekick's head into the toilet, and sighed once he lazily pulled him out. He never got tired of the constant swirlies, but his mind was elsewhere.

All through Mad Science he was thinking of how Cranium's hold on his mind would end. It gave him immense pains, and Lash grew tired a lot more now that he's been drained every time he's been powerless of his own body.

A loud thud was heard from the back desk, and the entire class turned their heads in curiosity. Small laughs let out as the 'thud' began snoring.

"Someone carry Livingston out?" Medulla's shrill voice called from the front of the room, and the only person to be willing enough was Melissa. (Yeah, she may be two grades lower, but hey, she was smart.) She stood up, walked over to pick up Lash by his ankles, and asked Mr. Medulla where to take him.

"To the nurse. And tell Specks that he's getting a detention…when he wakes up, that is." Melissa nodded, holding tight to his ankles as she walked through the door. As she walked down the halls she thought of just tossing him in the nurse's office and running, for her fear of needles, and the smell of human blood had always caught her attention. (This sucks, since her job for the future was that she wanted to be a Crime Scene Investigator, like the show she had Crystal hooked on.) Yet she dragged him out of the halls and into the office, holding her breath.

Nurse Specks had gotten out of her chair and let Melissa set him down onto the medical bed, and wrote a pass back to class for the girl after asking what happened. The old woman knew of her disease, and let her rush out of the office after explaining why he was there. Once she left, the old nurse looked over the sleeping boy. Seeing no broken bones, she lowered her standard of x-ray vision to the skin and organ level, and gasped as she saw internal bruising. When she lifted his shirt, she stopped powering up, and didn't see anything on the skin, where dark, black bruises should have been. Her mind was confused, and was curious as to why that was - she didn't understand why it was under the skin, but it hadn't shown up above the paleness of Lash's skin.

"Odd." She spoke aloud, standing up straight and looking around the rest of him. More bruises, but no sign on his skin.

"What exactly is odd?" a voice said from the medical mattress. Lash gave her a look, and pulled down his shirt.

"Oh, well boy, you have internal bruising, but there are no physical marks on the skin…"

"Meaning…?" he asked impatiently, his head lolling a bit to the side, a sign that he was dizzy. Nurse Specks poked her temple and scrunched up the wrinkles on her face.

"Well, I don't know how to explain them. It's as if…you were beaten…hu…from the inside, like when a pregnant woman is kicked too hard from her child."

"So you're saying I'm pregnant?" Lash laughed loudly, as Specks gave a nervous chuckle.

"Um, no. But you have massive bruising all around your body." She said, glancing at them again. "I've never seen anything like this." Lash looked at her uncomfortably. He didn't like the way she kept looking at him, even if it were only the bruises. "It's…it's as if there is something inside you, hurting you from the inside out. Your little collapse in class may be the 1st sign of it all to turn you into me broken." Lash shivered as he stood up. What Nurse Specks had told him was far from enough. The bell rang, and he dashed off to find Crystal. He found her just leaving her P.E. period, and he grabbed her books from behind her to get her attention.

"Ey!!" she screamed, turning around to only smile at Lash. "Ey, what's going on? I never see you on my way to Superhero History II." Lash never smiled back, but he did give her her books back.

"Can we go somewhere private?" Crystal nodded, confused. He put his right arm around her, and they wandered off to a dark corner by her next class.

"Cranium's abusive." He said simply. Crystal's eyes brightened a bit, thinking that was he said was only a random blurt out. When he put both hands on her shoulders, he whispered to her. "Nurse Specks checked me last period. I've apparently got bruises the size of basketballs underneath my skin." Crystal's eyes went fierce with worry, and she lifted his shirt to inspect, blushing slightly at the 6 pack underneath.

I don't see anything." She said, a little bit more confused. Lash sighed, and thought off to the side. He kissed her in defeat. Would this work?

----

When he kissed me, flashes of what Nurse Specks told him and what Lash had thought flew in front of my eyes. His lips pressed harder to my own, and my mind went blank - dark, and nothing was there anymore. Gripping my face, his nails dug into my cheeks, and I began to squirm - this isn't Lash. It was, but not now. He let go of me, and I saw the redness of his pupils - Cranium's pupils. Lash's arms wrapped around me tightly, and he leaned into my ear.

"I felt like committing adultery this afternoon." The bell rang to tell the school that stragglers were late. I pushed Lash away, only to glare into his eyes, and whisper into his ear.

"Lash - pull through - please." I heard a sarcastic 'aww' from him, and he let go of me, the eyes fading - the smile growing smaller and Cranium's hold on Lash was gone. For now.

"I hate him. He won't even let me do anything! Nothing! Not even kiss you properly!" he snarled, punching the wall beside the two of us. I held him, trying to calm him down.

"Lash, I have an idea." He stopped punching the wall, twisting his body around to face me. His nose hit the top of my hair, and I heard him breathe in. I knew that was one thing to calm him down with. When he spoke, it rattled my entire body, but it felt good.

"Did you just say that to make me stop, or was it for real?" he asked, and I reminded him of classes. We began to walk down the hall, and when we reached my History II room, I reached up to the back of his neck and kissed him strongly, slipping the internet printout Mel gave me earlier into his hands.

"Both." I breathed against him. He broke off, looking at the computer paper. "Now go before you get a severe detention!"

"I've got a free period right now…what's your idea?" I opened the door to class and whispered "at lunch" as I closed it, being yelled at by my teacher.

When I threw my tray on the table, my roll had jumped off the edge. _Stupid, suicidal roll. If only you were Olive Garden! Maybe then I might've cared!___

I saw my brother pile pizza slice after pizza slice onto his plate, and a few dollars fell out of his pocket as he reached into to pay in the lunch line. I sat alone, sad that Mel didn't have my lunch today.

Hearing a familiar laugh, I looked away from my brother, seeing Lash high-five another 'King Bully' who just burned a girl's skirt with his eyes so she would jump and fall. I sighed, thinking to myself - "boys are so perved." Using my mind, I polished off the apple, raised her body to a standing position, and the apple tossed into her hand. Giving me a thankful smile she walked off, and the eye-sore had given me a pout, hitting Lash in the chest as he pointed to me.

He smiled, and stretched over tables to get to my own from where he was standing by the windows. His lips met mine, and I smiled, and heard a slap on the table. I let go, looking to it; it was the printout.

"Okay. So. The plan." He nodded, picking up my fork and poking my buffalo chicken with cheese salad. I looked at him, and his eyes went wide after he noticed the glare in my eyes. "Okay. So. My fork." He took it out of his mouth, and I snatched it out of his hands, stabbing the lettuce. I took a bite, and he laughed.

When I told him of my plan, I didn't notice I had the tendency to stab my food, and point at Lash while speaking - with the food - so I ended up feeding him half of my lunch. I only noticed this once I went to take a bite, and only bit the fork. I looked confused, and with a mouthful-of-food, Lash laughed, and I smirked. I didn't complain, but I did catch on.

"Do you think it will work?" He asked me, moving seats so he was beside me.

"Yes, yes I do." I said, crawling into his arms after throwing my trash away. The bell rang, and he carried me out.

----

**Ninth chapter! Whoo! **

**Please review!! ******

**I don't have much to say, only the fact that my fingers hurt. ( . )**

**And I decided to update this today…even though only Mel had reviewed. I got pretty tired in waiting.**

**But this time…please review. :(**


	10. Chapter 10

HEYY!!!! It's me again. I can't help but type out everything I've got in my head. Seriously. I'm on a roll again… ready to upload everything onto Fanfiction. WHOO!! The only horrible thing is, is the fact that I've got a cold cup of coffee beside me, and it's not the flavor I adore so much. Cold coffee sucks unless it's iced. ANYWAYS. **10****th**chapter! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! I can't. I'm too excited. I've already got my ending planned out! Teehee. I don't think that'll be around so soon, though, so we're all in luck, right? (Oh, and the tune Julian sings? I got it from a memory from America's Next Top Model. It's just a bit different. )

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.)**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

**He smiled, and stretched over tables to get to my own from where he was standing by the windows. His lips met mine, and I smiled, and heard a slap on the table. I let go, looking to it; it was the printout.**

**"Okay. So. The plan." He nodded, picking up my fork and poking my buffalo chicken with cheese salad. I looked at him, and his eyes went wide after he noticed the glare in my eyes. "Okay. So. My fork." He took it out of his mouth, and I snatched it out of his hands, stabbing the lettuce. I took a bite, and he laughed.**

**When I told him of my plan, I didn't notice I had the tendency to stab my food, and point at Lash while speaking - with the food - so I ended up feeding him half of my lunch. I only noticed this once I went to take a bite, and only bit the fork. I looked confused, and with a mouthful-of-food, Lash laughed, and I smirked. I didn't complain, but I did catch on.**

**"Do you think it will work?" He asked me, moving seats so he was beside me.**

**"Yes, yes I do." I said, crawling into his arms after throwing my trash away. The bell rang, and he carried me out.**

----

During Lash's last and final period, he kept thinking about Crystal's plan. It was going to happen after school, after Crystal called her mom on the way home. He kept thinking her mother would object, but he knew Crystal wouldn't listen; she was determined.

He tapped his hands in a strong rhythm against the desk, and the teacher looked up at him, giving him the evil eye. Laughing to himself, he turned to Speed, who began humming a tune next to him, while Lash kept on his beat. Somehow he knew this would get him in deep trouble.

Beginning to notice, Julian (Sore-eyes to Crystal) smiled on the other side of Lash, and he started to sing softly in his own deep voice.

"_We don't…we don't wanna be hea…uh uh no. We don't wanna be hea…I said-ed-ed-dah…we don't wanna be here…no no no no no…"_

Julian stood up, scraping the chair he was sitting in back against the desk behind him, screaming "NO!" in a preaching way. The teacher stopped teaching the class, and the students looked back at him. Lash stopped his beat, Speed stopped humming, and the two friends laughed to themselves, causing the kids to look at THEM. Sighing, the teacher pointed to the door, declaring 'detention'. All three boys stood, smirked to the other students, and walked out, having a round of applause as they shut the door behind them.

Walking by lockers, Julian began tapping on them, and Speed sighed. Another class detention. The three of them obviously weren't heading that way, though.

Lash however, was looking in free period rooms. When Speed saw him smile and wave, he shook his head.

"Crystal?" he asked.

"Crystal." Lash muttered back, having Speed pat his shoulder, walking off with Julian.

"We getting sodas?" he called to Julian, who had done a back flip, marking a few lockers with the fire of his eyes. Nodding, they walked farther away, and turned a corner, out of Lash's sight.

----

I looked up from the blueprints I was making for one of my elective classes out of habit, only to see Lash's face in the window next to the door. He didn't see me at first, looking around, searching. When I gave a half-hearted wave, his eyes went to my own, and he waved back.

"Come out" he mouthed to me, and I put up one finger, looking at my work. It wasn't due for a whole week. I sighed, rolling up my homework, and I raised my hand.

The teacher supervising the free period looked up to the crowd of student sleeping or doing homework, and nodded to me.

"Uhm, can I go…get some air?" My voice sounding a bit high, breaking the silence of the room. The teacher flipped up the fallen page of his newspaper, nodding again, placing his feet upon the desk in front of him.

I smiled, standing up. Mel looked back at me from the front row on the ground floor, giving me a quizzical expression. I tilted my head towards the door, and saw her turn around in a flash. I saw her head nod in understanding, and she smiled at me. Picking up the roll of blueprints I jumped down the carpeted stairs to the ground floor of the free period room, giving a weak wave goodbye to Mel as I opened the door, closing it before I could trip on the other side.

The two of us walked to my locker on the second floor. When we reached my precise bank of lockers, Lash leaned me against them gently, giving me no room to escape or squirm. It felt new, different, and I liked it. I only hoped Cranium wouldn't intrude.

His hips hit my own, crashing into the locker behind me. I easily let go of my blueprints in my hand, letting it carelessly roll away from the two of us. My hands went to his sides, and I pulled him towards me, kissing him hard. I felt his smile get bigger against my lips, and I began to nibble on his bottom lip as his hands traveled from my hip to the side of my body, raising my shirt a slight. Moving up to his hair, my hands grasped the thick brown strands. This lead his fingers to draw circles on my exposed skin (I did my best to not ruin the moment and giggle), and I breathed him in, giving him the chance to let his tongue travel into my mouth, playing war with my own. When I tugged on his hair, he let out a moan, pressing himself even harder against me, and I was lifted off the ground, my legs raised around his hips. His lips trailed down my neck and I closed my eyes, biting my lower lip. Lash slowly bit down on my neck, gently sucking. Nibbling harder on my lip, I felt his tongue meet my skin, and it swirled in circles, in dashes beneath his lips, and I couldn't help but let out a soft moan.

When he heard this, he tossed me a bit, and now his mouth was at my collarbone. Lash kissed it softly, but this time he took a small piece of skin in his grasp, and made sure it was on both sides of my sticking-out collarbone. My lips met his forehead, and I opened my eyes, letting my hands fall to my sides - weak, numb.

"Oh my god." I whispered out, and I heard a chuckle come from him. There was a slight tug on my collarbone skin, and the release of his teeth left me in tingles through to my fingertips. Lash let me down to the floor, and my knees were completely jellied. He noticed this, kissing me while holding me against his chest.

I let go of his lips, stepping up and moving towards his neck. At this point in time, I changed roles. Spinning so he was against the lockers, I stepped in-between his legs, getting as humanly possible to him as I could in clothes standing up. As I was in the middle of fiddling with his belt loops and trailing my nails across his skin, sucking his neck, he spoke, his voice quivering.

"It would, suck immensely…if…if…ohhh," I heard him gulp, taking a breath. He kissed the crook in my neck, his lips shaking slightly, his breath hot on my shoulder. I felt the tickle of his lashes on my skin, and I realized his eyes were closed._ 'New feeling! New feeling! What the hell is that?! Shit…'_ "we got caught."

My lips left his skin, and I chuckled lightly, my smile sinking into the large purple bruise that lay on his neck. Feeling the flutter of his eyes opening again, I picked up my face, looking at his brown eyes. Lash's arms wrapped around my waist, and gave me a smile. His legs wrapped around my own, bringing me closer to him, and every movement of our bodies from that point on, sent tingles down my spine.

"Yes…yes it would…" I spoke, growing silent once I heard a door slam down the hall, and a heavy set of footsteps began walking down it, towards the two of us.

"You…jinx!" I cried in a whisper, and I separated from him, fiddling with my locker lock, trying to contain myself. Lash grabbed my homework off the floor, daring to kiss my neck quickly, biting softly before hiding miserably behind my now open locker, and the footsteps stopped in the view of the two of us.

"Crystal, shouldn't you be in class?" I looked up, smiling weakly. It was my old Animal and Plant Use teacher, Mr. Dormer. He was tall; dark skinned, and had a wicked big forehead, bald. (Not as large as Medulla's, but hey, it was close to it.)_ More like a sixhead,_ I once thought. He didn't really respect my class, and sent kids out left and right every time they spoke out their opinion about 'Bio-gee', as he had pronounced it. He peered over his thick glasses at me, and tucked in his shirt, fiddling with his mismatched tie, putting his hands on his sides, waiting for me to speak.

"Hi, Mr. Dormer." I said nervously, trying not to giggle. I used to laugh at his name, and I still do, because there was a kid in my class who always called him Mr. Dumber, not Dormer. **(A/N: Mel, it's Prince!) **"I actually have a free period right now…" I said, grabbing the blueprints from Lash's hands, noticing his flushed face, his eyes wide as he stood behind my locker away from the annoying teacher. I looked down at his left hand, which covered the zipper of his jeans. My own eyes went wide, and I blushed, turning back towards my old teacher as I tossed the homework into my already crammed locker. It fell out, and I knelt down to pick it up again, and Dormer caught sight of Lash, and possibly the gigantic purple hickey I gave him that trailed down from below his ear, since his hair wasn't exactly long enough.

The older man gave a look to him, and I took this chance to use my long hair as a curtain to what Lash had given me on my neck and shoulder, as well as the hard-on Lash had in his pants. Finally cramming it into my locker, it stayed, and I looked to the teacher.

"Uh…hey?" Lash said, shrugging his shoulders against the locker beside me, his forehead creasing with worry of being caught. We watched him stare for a few moments longer, and I gave him another weak, awkward smile, and he walked off. He always left something so awkward. Not daring to move until we heard a door close to the other side of the hallway along with fading footsteps, I held my breath, and closed my locker with a slam.

Turning to hit my head from behind on the locker, I sighed, breathing out. Lash's fingers lifted to my arm, letting it slide down, chuckling once he noticed that goosebumps had shown up.

"Am I still alive?" I breathed, sliding myself down the locker, closing my eyes. I heard Lash's knees bend down as well, and he kissed my temple.

"If you aren't, you're a gorgeous dead person." I hit his chest, and I could sense his smirk.

----

"We gotta call your mom…" Lash told her, now serious, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his cellphone. Crystal's blue eyes opened beneath her black eyeliner, tossing her head to look to his brown ones, smirking.

"I'm not doing anything until you go to the bathroom." Lash blushed, standing up awkwardly. He reached for her hand and she took it, smirking more as they walked to the boys' bathroom. Before shoving him inside, Crystal kissed him long and hard, finally smiling wildly, and pushing him passed the door into the restroom.

"Hurry?" she asked in front of the closed door, pleading. He opened the door again, giving a quick kiss, tossing her the phone.

----

Dialing my number, I sighed, looking to the hall's clock, the students now scrambling about their lockers in attempts to get to their specific busses. I stood anxiously, jumping a bit as the phone rang.

When my mother finally answered the phone, I smiled at her cheery voice.

"Hello?" she said, probably not recognizing the number in the caller ID.

"Mahm? I'm at school and -"

"Something wrong?" she asked, worry now approaching her voice. I sighed. Better do this quick. Quick like a band-aid.

"No, uhm, I just wanted to say that I'm going to the prison." I squinted my eyes closed, knowing that was the worst way to tell her about it. _'Way to go, Crystal'_ I thought, opening my eyes. A kid walked by, saying that there was no use of cellphones in school, and I flipped him off as he walked away.

"What? Why? Did you do something illegal?!" She flipped, and I could imagine her standing there by the phone, tapping her foot in impatience, her mouth open with her eyes in a glare to the floor.

"No, I didn't, Mom. I'm going to talk to Cranium." I heard a gasp from the other end, and I hit my forehead. Oh boy.

"Hu-NO. Are you kidding me? He's dangerous!" I sighed into the phone, and I looked to the ceiling. This would never end with her.

"Not behind the prison glass, Mom." I leaned against a locker across the hall from the bathroom, and I hit my head a few times before I heard her speak.

"He is in my book, Crystal." Should I say this? Do I dare be an ass? _'Do it Crystal'_ I thought, squinting my eyes shut again. _'Do it, you'll never get this chance again - you know that's the right thing to do.' _

"Well I don't care what he is to _you_ Mom. He's harassing me and Lash, and it's all because of his insane love for you." I'm totally screwed when I get home.

"Well." I heard her _blush_. Is this woman okay or something?

"Villain!" I cried into the phone, and a few kids who were running down the hall jumped, looking back to me.

"WHERE?!" they screeched, their fists out, a few powering up.

"Nowhere. Go home." I told them lazily, brushing them away. My focus went back to my phone call, where my mother had stopped talking to listen what was going on at the school.

"Mom?" I heard her sigh.

"All the more reason for you not to talk to him." Gah…this will never stop, will it?

"I don't care. I need him to stop." I heard her start to speak to me, but Lash had come out of the bathroom. I smiled at my savior, and I told my mother to hold on. I put the phone away from my ear, covering the mouthpiece.

"Did you wash your hands?" I smirked, and he nodded, laughing, but stopped, knowing I was in an argument with my mother. She was still talking, apparently clueless that I had told her to hold on. When I put the phone back to my ear, I breathed in.

"I'm going now - I'll see you later - love you." I hung up on her, and then there was silence. He took my hand and I placed the phone in his back pocket, finally walking out to the busses.

"That was fast." I said, not looking directly at him, since I was blushing a bit.

"You turn me on." Here, I blushed even more, my face red like a tomato. He laughed, and I kissed him quiet.

----

**That's my chapter.**

**Next chapter, I'll have Cranium. Swear to God. This'll be pretty good - I promise.**

**So please - review! I love reviews. I'm sadly addicted. ( . )**


	11. Chapter 11

Hey Hey Heyyy! It's me again. It's my **11****th** chapter, folks! This one will probably explain everything…everything about Cranium, at least. I had fun thinking about what to write about this one - it was interesting to think of different ways, different names, and different ways of conquering over things - all that crap. Last chapter was... Haha. But this chapter…this chapter will say something that I'm not even sure there's a correct response to.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I just realized a few chapters ago, that Cranium is mine as well, soooo…I own him too. : Any characters, actually, that you don't recognize, are mine.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

"**Villain****!" I cried, and a few kids who were running down the hall jumped, looking back to me. **

**"WHERE?!" they screeched, their fists out, a few powering up.**

**"Nowhere. Go home." I told them lazily, brushing them away. My focus went back to my phone call, where my mother had stopped talking to listen what was going on at the school.**

**"Mom?" I heard her sigh.**

**"All the more reason for you not to talk to him." Gah…this will never stop, will it?**

**"I don't care. I need him to stop." I heard her start to speak to me, but Lash had come out of the bathroom. I smiled at my savior, and I told my mother to hold on. I put the phone away from my ear, covering the mouthpiece. **

**"Did you wash your hands?" I smirked, and he nodded, laughing, but stopped, knowing I was in an argument with my mother. She was still talking, apparently clueless that I had told her to hold on. When I put the phone back to my ear, I breathed in.**

**"I'm going now - I'll see you later - love you." I hung up on her, and then there was silence. He took my hand and I placed the phone in his back pocket, finally walking out to the busses.**

**"That was fast." I said, not looking directly at him, since I was blushing a bit.**

**"You turn me on." Here, I blushed even more, my face red like a tomato. He laughed, and I kissed him quiet.**

**----**

They took the downtown bus, and began walking to the Police Station. Lash's hand was grabbed by Crystal, whose eyes were closed - the girl breathing heavily.

"Crys." He said, looking at her. "Crys!" he said more sternly, taking her shoulders. Her eyes jolted open, popping out in surprise.

"I'm nervous…" She said, squeezing his hand as they walked into the station, Lash nodding to the officer on duty behind a glass room.

"Supers," he mouthed to him, and the officer nodded, pressing a button on the console in front of him. A button above the closest elevator lit up, and they walked towards it.

"You're nervous? I'm the one he's controlling."

"As to what he says." Crystal finished, dragging him into the elevator. The doors closed, and Lash pressed the "SPF" (Supers Police Force) button, and they began their journey southbound.

A 'ding' was heard, and the doors opened to show a receptionist desk, a vase of pink lilies next to a large pile of manila folders. At this desk sat a petite middle aged lady, her suit frilly and pastel pink. She wore glasses around her neck, and her lips were covered in a deep red lipstick, and Crystal flinched. Lash looked to her, and snickered quietly - she was afraid of pink. Lash looked around the small area, taking note of all the awards the officers had gotten from the academy, the Sky High diploma copies.

The lady behind this desk looked up from her work, smiling at the two of them, but frowned once she noticed Crystal's worried face. Crystal's look had disappeared, and was now replaced with a calm expression.

"Who may you be visiting today?" Lash stopped looking around, and squeezed Crystal's hand, stepping to the edge of the desk.

"Cranium." His face gave a small grimace, but it had gone away quickly. The lady smiled sincerely, a glint in her eye. Apparently this woman's powers were that of changing people's facial expressions to her consent. He thought it wasn't a big power, but it helped around this place.

The receptionist smiled, gleaming at Crystal, and gasped.

"Ohhh! You might be his daughter. He's told the Force all about you…and you're brother." She glanced towards Lash, and giggled, leaning towards Crystal. "Though he said that Mr. Spencer was a bit on the chubby side…" she giggled again, but Crystal's mouth lay still in a sour grimace.

"I'm not his child. He has no children. He has a sick obsession with my mother, and I've come to discuss it with him." She snarled, and the bubbly receptionist's face became a serious one, leaving Crystal's expression alone. This woman was wise, but stupid, all at the same time. She looked through a cabinet nearby the manila folders, pulling out a walkie-talkie. She called an officer, and moments later the door to the right knocked loudly, opening.

"Doris?" a chubby police officer asked. Lash couldn't help but notice that his hair was red like fire.

The lady had motioned towards Lash and Crystal, and had told him they were there to see Cranium.

"Malcolm, he's in the I triple U."

Lash's eyes narrowed and he growled as he passed Malcolm through the door.

"I triple U?" Crystal asked, guessing that he knew something about it. He did, actually, and turned to her.

"It's short for Intensive Watch Unit, and by means of 'Intensive', almost every officer is supposed to be on complete guard as to what you do." She nodded and looked to Lash, whose eyes looked ready for murder. "For that whole week after the prom last year, that's what we got. The I triple U." He saw her staring at the corner of his vision, and turned to her as they walked down a murky gray hall.

"What? What is it?" he asked, squeezing her hand. Crystal stopped walking next to him, and jumped forward, turning to face him.

"Something else is bothering you." She said, searching his eyes.

Boy was that clear as day.

"Where'd the guards go!?" he shouted, turning to Malcolm, who was lazily walking behind them.

"Lunch breaks." He yawned, showing them down another hall. Crystal's jaw dropped.

----

"If all guards just get up and leave, who watches Cranium?" We passed a few older men in cells, and one looked fairly familiar to me, and casually walked to the glass towards us.

"Cameras." He spoke. The voice sounded familiar too. '_Warren's dad.' _I thought, giving him a weak wave. He may not have known me, but I knew him.

"Hello, Barry." I said, letting go of Lash's hand.

"Peace?" He said, looking curious to me. I nodded, and Barry stood tall.

"How do you know my name?" he asked me.

"I know your son, Warren?" he smiled, and he put out his hand towards the glass to shake my own, only to put it back down dumbly. He obviously couldn't reach me. He frowned as he put his hand down, but nevertheless looked forward.

"When you see him, tell him his father says 'hello'? That he should visit soon?" I nodded again, and Malcolm put his hand on my shoulder. I gave a quiet goodbye to Barry, grasping Lash's hand, walking off to another set of doors down the hall.

"Welcome to the I triple U." he said, opening the door with a card key. We walked through passed the door, and there were only about five cells, four were empty. We had reached Cranium's cell.

Malcolm had brought us chairs, and walked away. He told us that he would be in the next room watching through a set of cameras so we could have our own time with the man, but only under the safe view of the officer in charge. I sat down, rummaging through my purse for the one thing I could bring to torture him with; a picture of my mother.

The picture was taken about two weeks ago, when she was speaking with the earth, leaning against the large tree in our front yard. Her dark brown hair was swirling in the wind, her silver eyes looking away from the camera. When I took the picture, I had been watching her for a while. I never really watched her speak with her elements, but that day, I felt like I needed to. I kept it safe, loving the way my mother took a wonderful photo.

Lash stood in front of the glass, observing the villain sitting on a wooden chair by the concrete wall, farthest away from the glass. Cranium seemed out of it, but that didn't stop Lash. He began hitting the glass with his fist, screaming at the man to get his attention.

From my seat I sighed, breathing in, closing my eyes. When I opened them, Lash hadn't stopped calling to him.

"Stephen!" I called, and his head lolled up to my own in the darkness, a small smile on his face. I slapped the picture of my mother up to the glass, standing up beside Lash. We watched as he slowly stood, his lanky figure silently, gracefully sauntered over to the glass, his eyes only for the pictures.

"Hello, Mary." He said goofily, smiling.

Quickly taking the photo away, I placed it back into my purse, and his eyes traveled to the floor. "Goodbye, Mary."

"Hey…hey, focus." I told him, snapping my finger in front of his face. The little circles lining the top of the glass was the other way of letting him listen, and the only way to let us listen to him.

"Crys." Lash whispered to me, and I felt him arms stretch around my waist. _"It's okay; we'll get his attention somehow." _His voice trailed through my mind, and I shook my head.

"No." I spoke sternly, and smacked my hand against the glass, my eyes welling up in tears. "No."

Lash's chin hit the top of my head, and my hand brushed up to his shoulder, letting it glide down slowly. I growled at Cranium who was looking elsewhere. I looked down at my feet, the pools of salty tears overflowing. Lash's fingertips brushed away the last of them, and I looked up; only to be taken aback.

Cranium's face was only about an inch from the glass, his hands resting on it, his eyes looking right at me.

"You look like your mother when you weep." He said, smiling wildly. Lash's face turned into a grimace I hope would never cross his features again, and he stood in front of me, his hands behind his back - holding my own.

"You'll look like my boot print if you say something like that again." Cranium scowled at him, and I saw him sniff the air. Smirking, he turned around, going to his chair. He had picked it up and carried it to the glass, placing it in front of Lash, who stretched behind to bring his own out front.

"Can I see Mary again?" he asked, looking towards me. I moved my hand towards Lash, linking two fingers lazily with his own as he sat down.

_"We could use that advantage to get info from him."_ I told him, and Lash looked into me.

_I trust you on this one, love."_ He told me, and I smiled at him. I turned to Cranium, nodding. His eyes went wide, his mouth turning up in a smile. Oh, the pity.

"First, I want to know what you're doing." Cranium sat up, frowning.

"I'm…sitting." I rolled my eyes. How big of a smart ass can he get?

"To Lash." At the corner of my eye, I could see Lash scowl. Cranium's smile came back, and he closed his eyes.

"I'm simply transferring myself into him."

'Simply?' I thought, looking to Lash, who spoke.

"Why?" His eyes opened again.

"To take over the world, get the girl, live happily ever after." He coughed violently, and gripped his chair for support. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he turned to me. "Now where is Mary?"

I sighed, opening my purse again. Pulling out the photo, I saw his mouth quiver, and as I placed it on the glass, we watched him caress the glass where the picture lay on the other side. Lash's hand held my wrist, and I nodded.

As I took the photo down from the glass, I asked my second question. "Is it hard to do?"

He began chewing on his lip, but nevertheless told me.

"To transfer? No. I've done it many times, but never had one fight back - if they did, they'd always give up." At this he looked to Lash darkly, who snatched the photo from my hands.

"How many times." He growled, waving my mother's picture in his face. The older man's eyes followed, but then he began to focus on the question.

"Uh…" he brought his right hand up, and looked to the ceiling in deep thought. My hand flew to Lash's, and my eyes filled with worry. How many?

I watched him tick off one finger, and the date he muttered blurred before it reached my ears. Another finger and Lash growled.

"_HOW MANY?!"_ he screamed, standing up to kick the glass.

Cranium stood angrily, throwing daggers to Lash with his eyes. It's the first time that I've ever seen Cranium _actually_ showing anger.

"Richard Mairthrow, 1874!" he yelled, punching the glass.

"Matthew Lush, 1907!" growling loudly, his eyes pierced into my own.

"Phillip Willis, 1933!" He cried, kicking the glass. My face paled as it shook.

"Gary Lapser, 1964," his face never flinched as his snarl grew. Lash grimaced at this, and his eyes squinted.

"James Martin, 1981," he breathed deep, scowling.

"Stephen Grayheart, 1996" his face was fierce, hands touching the glass. "Six victims - all tragically dead in the last body I transferred to." He spoke calmly now, his eyes traveling from my eyes to Lash. "I obviously gave them that tragic death, squirming in pain, screaming their lungs out as their insides twisted and turned, their bodies burned after they've been silenced, their ashes flying across the battlefield; their last view of any person, were themselves." I shook in my seat, my hands holding my head up. I was scared; all this time I thought he was a weak villain, not able to succeed in much of anything; a joke. But I was wrong. He was powerful. _Very_ powerful.

"I am almost two hundred years old; I've traveled the world several times in search of suitable body transfers. I wanted it all - studied past villains fail and others triumph, only to be crushed moments later. I've studied, I've learned - I will not fail. For I - Dr. Edward Cranium, will not be one to fail in my quest for world domination. I -"

"SHUT UP!" I cried, standing up and pounding on the glass all in one swift movement. "You filthy, disgusting piece of slime. Shut up." I whispered to him, my breath leaving a small water cloud on the glass. On my face was a tight grimace, and I told myself not to take my eyes off of the man. His eyes brightened, and looked to Lash quickly, who was breathing deep, wanting nothing more than to punch him against the wall, making him bleed to death. When he looked back to me, he spoke quickly.

"You would make a lovely, spunky bride, my dear Crystal, but I would love your mother." At this, I looked disgusted, and Lash looked like he would start chewing at the holes by the ceiling just to get at him. I closed my eyes, breathing out.

"She's happily married." I spoke the best I could, but my voice was shaking in rhythm of my body. My eyes narrowed as his finger waved in my face as I opened my eyes again.

"Ah, yes, but that can change. You see, I never said that I was going to stop transferring when I get to your little boyfriend here." His hand wavered over at Lash, who was _still_ looking like he was going to chew the glass. He and I had incredible rage against this man, and I swear that Lash would never be fully calm again without letting this man die at his hands. My eyes went wider than they have ever before, my hands turning to fists at my sides.

"No."

"Oh, yes." Lash turned around and began punching the marble wall, ignoring the blood now coming through the cuts in his knuckles, ignoring the fact that pieces were falling onto his shoulders, ignoring the fact that he just dropped my mother's picture. I used my mind to pick it up, holding it to my chest. I tried speaking to Lash with my mind as well, but he was blocking me, blocking everything. All he wanted to do was beat him to a bloody pulp, and I would have loved very dearly to help Lash, but Cranium was behind glass, and he was _staying_ there. I was going to make sure of that.

I didn't know if what he was saying was true. Every part of my body began shaking harder, and my hands felt numb. Everything I saw went green, my head getting heavier.

"My father?" the picture floated to the floor, my hands unable to grasp anything; my body went rigid. "You're going…to use Lash…get near my…" I felt dizzy - my mouth was completely dry, and I fell, fainting.

----

**How was that? Good I hope. There's more next chapter! I'm so happy. Teehee.**

**It took a while for everything to pop into my head about all this, but hey, I think I did a decent job. Whoot.**

**If you know of Matthew Lush, good for you. :) He's one of my favorite people ever. Myspacee.**

**People, last chapter I didn't get much of any reviews. I SURVIVE FOR THEM. Gosh, do I have to threaten the life of Lash in order for you to review? You know what? That's what I'll do. Seriously.**

**From now on, every chapter that doesn't get a decent amount of reviews, Lash will be closer and closer to being…well, deceased.**

**Now review!**


	12. Chapter 12

Hey everyone. I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in like, a month. I've been pretty busy with MCAS, and I've had such the worst case of writer's block with the ending and continuing of this chapter. I still have yet to work out my 13th chapter. I haven't gotten around to actually writing it out yet, and it pisses me off.

But I've also got another problem. Reviews. No one reviewed last chapter. Cept for Mel, but she never counts. It's an automatic that she reviews. What about everyone else? Yes I know my readers may be such a small amount, but hey, at least people read it. Seriously. Review.

Anyways. I'm pretty into thinking about a whole new…Lash/Layla type story. I've got it in my mind. Well, somewhere. On my other computer.

Whatever. Still Peeved. Here's the 12th chapter of Comfort Zone.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I just realized a few chapters ago, that Cranium is mine as well, so, I own him, and Crystal. Oh, and guess what? The only things else reality wise that I own? Sky High, 2005.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

"**Ah, yes, but that can change. You see, I never said that I was going to stop transferring when I get to your little boyfriend here." His hand wavered over at Lash, who was **_**still**_** looking like he was going to chew the glass. He and I had incredible rage against this man, and I swear that Lash would never be fully calm again without letting this man die at his hands. My eyes went wider than they have ever before, my hands turning to fists at my sides.**

"**No."**

"**Oh, yes." Lash turned around and began punching the marble wall, ignoring the blood now coming through the cuts in his knuckles, ignoring the fact that pieces were falling onto his shoulders, ignoring the fact that he just dropped my mother's picture. I used my mind to pick it up, holding it to my chest. I tried speaking to Lash with my mind as well, but he was blocking me, blocking everything. All he wanted to do was beat him to a bloody pulp, and I would have loved very dearly to help Lash, but Cranium was behind glass, and he was **_**staying**_** there. I was going to make sure of that. **

**I didn't know if what he was saying was true. Every part of my body began shaking harder, and my hands felt numb. Everything I saw went green, my head getting heavier.**

"**My father?" the picture floated to the floor, my hands unable to grasp anything; my body went rigid. "You're going…to use Lash…get near my…" I felt dizzy - my mouth was completely dry, and I fell, fainting. **

----

Lash turned around to see Crystal's body lying on the floor, a scowl on his smooth face. He jumped over the two chairs to get to her, and he held her against his chest. He held out a breath and carried out to look towards the camera above the doors. Beginning to rock her back and forth, he glanced over to notice Cranium was crouching down beside the glass as well. Lash growled, and kissed the top of Crystal's head in hopes she would wake soon. He didn't even know what happened.

It's a shame, really." Lash's face whipped to the quiet whisper from Cranium. "She carries weakness – does not do so well in reality." Lash's eyes narrowed. How dare he say that?

"And who are you to tell me this?" he snarled, picking Crystal's hand up into his own. His fingers stroked the palm of her hand as he caressed it with his cheek. Cranium smiled evilly.

"Oh, I can't wait till you become frail – weak" his face became fierce. "Like lovely Crystal here." What was he planning to really do?

Lash was shaking his head in confusion. "Answer me this – why are you after Mary?" Lash's mind blocked his last comment, and he sat on the floor completely, Crystal's body in his lap.

"Ah, Mary. It was only in James Martin's body did I first notice her. She was a fresh graduate of Sky High." His eyes went off to the past, and Lash was having no choice but to follow him through. "We met in a coffee shop, the day was shiny, bright, the shop wasn't too crowded – she was beautiful, powerful, and glorious." Lash felt uncomfortable when the man talked of her – he only thought of Mary as his second mother. He looked at Cranium, who seemed to still be in another world. His eyes glazed over, and his head copped up, exposing his thin throat, the pulsing veins crawling down his body. "I met her before I ever even heard of her father" His face lowered back to Lash's own, and his eyes went dark, pointing blankly at the unconscious girl in the young boy's arms. "I felt we belonged together. I told her this, but somehow it didn't seem to click in her head that we did. So she ran away from me – away from me – away from my love."

"Cause you're a sick freak," Lash's ears perked at the beautiful sound coming from the girl in front of him. Her words were slightly weak, but her voice was like fire, licking the dangerous man's face in a taunt. Lash noticed her hand lift up to her face as she opened her eyes. They squinted from the bright lights, but nevertheless opened wide.

Cranium's head tilted to the side, trying to get closer to the glass to stare in rage at what he thought could've been his daughter, if only Mary gave him the chance. "Your stupid, _normal_ cheap ass father. She could have riches, fame, a lovely home." He began listing such items off his fingers in another furious way, but stopped once Crystal's foot connected with the glass in front of them. He saw the look in her eyes, the fury, and he smirked to himself, only to snarl at her next comment.

"My father was – and still is – the best man for the job, you slimy git." He slammed on the glass.

"LIAR!"

"Thank GOD, the day she turned you down to my father, instead of you." Her voice raised higher to get over the sound of the banging. "She knew something was wrong with you – something, evil." She spoke the words drizzling from her mouth with pure hatred. With help from Lash, she stood once again, pointing her finger at him. "You, my dear, sweet bucket of chicken grease, are staying in this cell. You will die in this cell – in the body that you are in now. I'm going to make damn sure of that."

"Impossible." He sneered, standing up to equal her gazing anger. He sauntered around in front of her, scowling.

----

"Possible." I replied swiftly, my anger heating up the glass before me. The steam blew away quickly, but my glaring hadn't stopped. "Or so help me I will shoot you down myself. Mark. My. Fucking. Words."

Lash stood behind me, holding his arms across the front of my body, locking his hands together loosely. His hold calmed me in the smallest of ways, but I nevertheless held tight to the feeling. I brought my hands to his, and he spoke.

_"We should leave. I think he's had enough visiting time with us."_ I shook my head, the calm feeling only brushing up against my face. Yet I was continuing to glare at the man before me. Lash didn't expect me to agree in the first place, so he began to drag me away – dragging me away from my first victim. He banged his fist against the door to let Malcolm know that we wanted out. A loud buzz was heard, and the door unlocked, opening to the murky hallway once again.

"Goodbye, Crystal. We will meet again soon. I promise." I heard him whisper, the sound carrying out to where I stood by the opening.

I screamed out my last 'fuck you!' before slamming the door behind me. Some of the prisoners had peered through their glasses to see what was going on. I stopped at Barry's cell for the last time, and he spoke, looking sort of tired, sitting on his mattress.

"Remember." I nodded as I began walking away, and ran after Lash, who held the door to the receptionist's entrance open.

"How'd the visit go?" Doris asked cheerily, tapping her bright pink pen on the desk. I gave her a dirty look as we stepped onto the elevator.

"Oh, just peachy." I said sarcastically as the doors shut. Lash's hand linked with my own as we stood in silence, waiting for the doors to open to the main floor.

"Plan didn't work," he said quietly, his mouth open to send out a small sigh.

"No, but we did get something from it." He turned to me in curiosity. "We know what he's planning to do." He nodded, not exactly knowing, and the elevator doors opened with a 'ding'.

----

"C'mon, I'll walk you home. Mary'll be in a fit if she doesn't know we're both okay." Lash spoke calmly, grasping her hand as she nodded nervously. Clearly her mother didn't give her permission to go to the station.

She held tightly to him, gripping his arm as they passed streets and unfamiliar faces that called out to them.

"Hey," she chuckled to lighten the mood. "Is this a muscle I feel?" Lash smiled, beaming down at her. "Ohh, I think it is."

When they reached her house, it was about dinnertime. Crystal breathed in, opening the door. Lash held onto her waist from behind as they stepped inside to see a woman sprawled out on the couch as they opened the door wide. The two of them smelled chicken pot pie from the kitchen, and a series of pots and pans clanging. Michael was cooking tonight.

Mary stood slowly and quietly before them, her eyes red and puffy.

"Mom." Lash heard Crystal whisper. Mary walked over to her, her arms open.

"My baby girl – you're alright." Crystal nodded as her mother tackled her into a hug.

"But you knew that." She told her, a whisper of thanks. Lash stood awkwardly behind them, and decided to sneak over to the couch and sink into the cushions. He smiled at the mother and daughter, and chuckled out to himself once the look on Crystal's face turned to him. She gave him a dirty look; not the 'I hate you' type of look, but the 'I love you forever, but shut up.' When she let go of her mother, Mary turned around to look at Lash, and she stood in front of him with her arms out.

"Everything all right, Mary?" he smiled to her, and shook his head.

"Ohh," she teared, as Lash stood and hugged her. "It's wonderful to see the two of you."

Crystal looked at her mother with an odd expression and gave out a laugh.

"Mom, he was behind an inch thick glass. He couldn't have hurt us." She specifically left out the part where she saw it shake when Cranium had kicked it, and kept calm, holding in her heartbeat, making sure her mother couldn't feel a difference in the ground. Mary put her hands on her hips, sighing.

Well you never know." Lash waved his finger in tune to Mary's last words before leaving the room to the kitchen, and he chuckled.

Crystal smirked in a mischievous way, and tackled him, pushing him onto the couch. She then plopped herself in his lap, their hands becoming entwined casually.

Lash's face turned up to her slowly. "Did we accomplish anything?" Crystal leaned back; kicking her legs up upon the couch, and sighed.

"I'm…not exactly sure." She whispered her words clearly, stating what she thought. Lash's skin tingling against her breath, making his neck twitch. "But I'm going to do my best not to let him get to us. To you." Her arm wrapped around his neck, and she breathed in his scent.

"How are we gunna do that?" he whispered, as Crystal felt his arm crawl around her back. She kissed the top of his head.

"I don't have any idea…but we need to just be on the lookout. For yourself." Crystal muttered against his hair, her eyes closing. She felt his head move slightly to her chest, leaning her down onto the cushions and they relaxed out on them– Lash's cheek to Crystal's breasts. He held onto her for dear life, and sighed.

"All I want to do now – is lay here forever like this with you." He muttered in pieces, as she slowly stroked his head, twirling bits and pieces of his hair between her fingers. "With you, Crystal, I'm in heaven."

Crystal's eyes peered down at the boy. "Liar." Lash's face looked up to her, and he stared.

"I'd never lie to you." Crystal leaned back once more, and closed her eyes, feeling Lash's head place itself back to where it lay moments ago.

Their peace was broken by the outgoing voice of Crystal's father.

"Pineapple pie is -" he was cut off by a guttural screaming call from the second floor, was Speed's blur of a self was down in 3 seconds.

"…for dessert." He finished, seeing his son's sad expression.

"But I love pineapple pie." He slowly walked back up the stairs, his face in a low pout.

----

My heartbeat was faster than usual. I was worried about Lash. Our intertwined fingers stroked each other, and a long shaky breath was heard from him.

"Lash?" I asked the shaggy haired boy. He paused his shaky breaths to ask, "mm?"

"Are you okay?" I whispered, as he twisted his head to my own.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry." He sighed, placing his head back upon my chest. We lay there for a few minutes, hours – I'm not sure.

But it was dinnertime, and my father was calling us to the table.

Dinner was silent, other than the sound of clanking dishes. Spencer was leaning over his potatoes, chomping to himself on his steak tips. From the corner of my eye, I gave a peek at Lash every so often. He looked weak – almost sick.

I dropped my forkful of cheese over broccoli back to the china plate, and told the table that I was excusing myself. Mom nodded once, peering over at my plate. Standing, I offered it to her, but she rejected it. My father peered up himself, and he nodded, so I tossed my food into his plate. My feet took me away from the table almost instantly, and I now stood at the beginning of the stairs. I gave out a shaky sigh, and I ran up them to my bedroom.

Holding onto my doorknob, I shut my eyes, feeling quite dizzy as I opened my door and walked through. I sprinted to my bed, hugging my numerous pillows, tears running down my face. Though faded, I heard a chair scrape the floor, and I knew who got up from the dinner table. Quickly, I had stuffed my face into my pillows deeper, hiding what I could from him.

The door cracked open, and I turned away, my face now smothered into the soft fabric. "Leave me alone…!" I muffled into the pillow. There was a soft 'pounce-and-land' on my bed, and the feeling of fingertips caressed my back.

"I need to stop being such a tearfest…" I muttered, giving up and leaning up to face Lash.

He breathed a laugh as he looked down at the comforter. "Yeah, you do." My eyes turned up to his own, and I couldn't help but smirk as he finally looked back to me. Couldn't help smirking through my red and puffy face; so I tackled him down onto the bed and onto me. I then noticed how close our faces were to each other; the smallest of hairs on our noses were touching, and I could taste his breath as he released them.

In the littlest of movements, my legs made their way across his back, and I closed my eyes, breathing in his scent. I felt his lips crash onto my own, and the tingles of hands crawling down my legs and across my stomach took over in my head.

It was the lightest of kisses that made me dizzy with fantasy. Yet it was them that brought me back to my reality, so it got me quite messed up. I leaned up so both of us were sitting, and I brushed a hand through his hair, releasing his strong hold on me. My legs were still wrapped around his hips, and he let his hands fall to my waist. I looked into the dark brown eyes gazing down at me, and I gave a small smile. As the gaze held stronger, I looked down to my hands, nervous of the power that he had over me.

"You should get home soon." I whispered, staring at my hands still. They were covered in his, and I stroked a finger across the bottom of his palms. His thumbs wavered over the back of my own hand, sending shivers down my spine. At the corner of my eye I saw him nod, and I crawled away from him, letting him stand up by the bed.

As he walked away, I heard a nervous sigh. I began to get to my feet, and I shut the door with a flick of my wrist. I couldn't let him leave so fast. I just couldn't.

He turned back to me, and picked up his pace to a jog back to me.

With small aggression he grabbed my face, kissing me as if this were the last time I'd ever see him. I hoped to whoever was looking after us, that this certainly wasn't. He let go and I looked into him. His eyes searched my own, and I gave out a shiver, my lips quivered in a nervous habit.

"Be safe." I whispered, stroking his arm as he went back to the door, opening it swiftly and not looking back to me.

I fell back upon my bed, scrunching up my covers in my fists as I squished my eyes closed, and choked back a sob.

"Please, Lash."

----

**Sooo. Was that good enough for you? Hopefully. It'll prolly be a while before I even get the next chapter up, cause I told you all before that my brain is (like) on crack. Well I didn't say that, but I told you that I've got a writer's block. I just feel so distant with my writing. **

**I had my birthday (like) a week ago. Or something close to that. (I'm typing this and it's the 28****th**** of May. So yeah, a week ago. But I got a new computer, and it's got about 2334 songs or something like that on it. It's pretty sweet. (LOVE YOU FOREVER, JUSTIN! Thanks so much, babe.) Though I am always on this computer, it doesn't have the Internet hooked up. My mother doesn't want to put it in this, cause she fears that I'll never leave my room. (Only to pee, go to school and eat, actually) But hey, I would leave. She needs to know that. Oh well. I'll prolly just copy all this and post it soon. I really need this up. It's…commanded of me.**

**WHOA what an author's note. Hehe… uhm. About that Lash/Layla? It's definitely gunna be a better story than my oneshot I've posted before. It's probably going to be its prequel or something close to that. But I promise, it's definitely going to be good. I've been working on it, and it's good to my close friends. Be good to my readers, young 3shot! Yeah, a threeshot. Woot. Or a possible fourshot. Iono. Haha. Anyways, my loves.**

**Review! **


	13. Chapter 13

Well, here's my lucky 13th chapter, babes! It's been a bit since I've uploaded my last chapter, but that's only because I haven't really sat down to do so much. Anyway, I'd like to blame:clears throat and whips out piece of paper: My mother, for without her, I would have the Internet whenever I needed it. Cause you know what she does? When she goes to work, or to sleep, she unplugs the entire connection to the Internet. GAHHHRRRRRFFHGFDHGHGDBHDRY. Yeah, whatever. At least I wrote most of this by myself. I didn't write down…anything past the point of 'overtime'. O.o Why is Heidi so skilled at this?

Well Heidi doesn't know. But Heidi knows…that if you don't review, this story will be, well, gone. O.0

OMG, REVIEWWW. I really wanna know what you people actually think about this chapter. It's...kinda big. The length – maybe not. But the whole plot line here, it's pretty big. To me, at least. Iono about the rest of you. Please? I don't even care if it's to flame. At least I know that you're reading it. :) :)

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I just realized a few chapters ago, that Cranium is mine as well, so, I own him, and Crystal. Oh, and guess what? The only things else reality wise that I own? Sky High, 2005.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

**It was the lightest of kisses that made me dizzy with fantasy. Yet it was them that brought me back to my reality, so it got me quite messed up. I leaned up so both of us were sitting, and I brushed a hand through his hair, releasing his strong hold on me. My legs were still wrapped around his hips, and he let his hands fall to my waist. I looked into the dark brown eyes gazing down at me, and I gave a small smile. As the gaze held stronger, I looked down to my hands, nervous of the power that he had over me.**

**"You should get home soon." I whispered, staring at my hands still. They were covered in his, and I stroked a finger across the bottom of his palms. His thumbs wavered over the back of my own hand, sending shivers down my spine. At the corner of my eye I saw him nod, and I crawled away from him, letting him stand up by the bed.**

**As he walked away, I heard a nervous sigh. I began to get to my feet, and I shut the door with a flick of my wrist. I couldn't let him leave so fast. I just couldn't.**

**He turned back to me, and picked up his pace to a jog back to me.**

**With small aggression he grabbed my face, kissing me as if this were the last time I'd ever see him. I hoped to whoever was looking after us, that this certainly wasn't. He let go and I looked into him. His eyes searched my own, and I gave out a shiver, my lips quivered in a nervous habit.**

**"Be safe." I whispered, stroking his arm as he went back to the door, opening it swiftly and not looking back to me.**

**I fell back upon my bed, scrunching up my covers in my fists as I squished my eyes closed, and choked back a sob.**

**"Please, Lash."**

It took a while to get home. Normally he'd stretch across neighborhoods to get home, but tonight he decided to think things through, and walk normally. What were they on the verge of? Death? Were they teetering on the fence of something so dangerous they wouldn't even notice any difference if they fell off?

Lash sighed as he finally got to his house, and opened the door, muttering a 'hello' to the empty living room. He climbed the stairs to his room, collapsing onto his bed. When he did this, he rolled over to face the ceiling, closing his eyes. A pain in his side began to form, and his legs became numb. His now sore hands covered his face, and then visions behind his eyelids were becoming a whole lot more real. As the face of Cranium crossed his mind, his head began to ache. A moan of pain ran through his lips, and he turned to his window, burying his face into the blankets. The last he saw was of Dr. Cranium chasing towards him, his face in a permanent snarl.

--

As he walked confidently down the dark street with a sneer on his face, Lash began kicking the sides of cars to let their alarms go off. When about 3 went, he saw a nearby house's lights turn on. He smirked to himself as he ran away, heading to wherever he was headed. He stopped almost immediately, having a changed expression on his face as he fell to his knees in a confused and painful scream, tugging at the roots of his hair. He groaned loudly as he leaned forward to the cement of the ground, and he had his head practically in between his legs. He fell over to his side, where his eyes closed, and his fingers caressed in twinges of pain on the curb on which he lay. Almost as fast as he had fallen, he rose in silence with a blank expression to his face, shaking his head quickly. Bursting into a run, he stretched over numerous cars on his way. He knew where he was going now.

--

As he stood in front of the police station late at night, he smirked, hunching his shoulders as he walked inside. The officer at the desk nodded at his presence, and Lash stepped into the elevator. His posture straightened, and Lash looked completely lost, holding the side of his face as if he'd been hit repeatedly. He dropped his hand, feeling warm liquid trickle out of his mouth. He wiped his lip with the back of his hand, now seeing dark red blood slide down past his wrist. The elevator door 'ding'ed, and Lash grasped his head in pain as a shock hit his head, bringing him to the point of fainting. He last saw only black.

The door opened to Maria, the night secretary. "Hello, and who have you come to see?" She looked up to him, his bloody hand behind his back.

"Cranium." His voice was harsh and raspy, as if it were hard to try and speak at all. The woman ignored the sketchy look the boy brought to the room, and called forth Bill, the night manager to send him through to the IWU.

A stocky, tired Malcolm passed through the door to see Lash. "Malcolm, it's the night shift! Don't you normally go home around 7?" Maria's worried voice was heard from behind Lash as he turned to the newest person in the room.

"Overtime." He muttered, and placed his hand behind Lash's back to guide him through the IWU.

He took a weary step, as if he were caught for a crime and was thinking about running away. As he walked passed the cells, he cast a sneer across the faces of the other prisoners. Crossing the barrier to the IWU, Lash stood in front of Cranium's cell, hearing Malcolm's usual speech on how he'll be watching from cameras. He watched the chubby man leave, and Lash peered over at Cranium. Right at this moment, he froze. The man stood behind the glass with his eyes closed, his hands pressed against the glass, and he was frozen as well. Breathing deeply, Dr. Cranium opened his eyes just in time to see Lash fall to the ground. He smirked, crouching down by the glass to examine Lash's still but breathing body. He watched as Lash began to bleed upon his hand; the knuckles beat red. Hearing a moan of prolonged pain from the boy, he stood tall once more to swiftly bang on the glass for his attention. Lash's head bobbed to the ceiling, and he let out another groan on pain. His left cheek suddenly was sliced about two inches long and his right eye was severely bruised. Cranium watched with a smile as Lash's mouth began to strain, and his body shifted to the side in order to cough. His smile widened as he saw blood trickle from the boy's mouth shortly after, and his body folded over to the ground as the IWU doors flew open in a rush to get to Lash.

----

My eyes squinted at the sound of the phone ringing on my bedside table. _Ring_. Was this a dream? That somebody was call -_ Ring_. Calling me in the middle of the - _Ring_. Sighing, I leaned over to grab the phone from its charger, and opened I eyes to the dark room. The only light given was of the phone's charger, and its blinking green light was starting to annoy me. I began to blink my eyes repeatedly, groaning as I picked up the phone and clicked the 'TALK' button to stop the ringing in my ear.

"Hello?" my raspy voice could barely even take form through the electronic device. I called out this as I leaned up on my elbow over my mattress to sit up.

"Yes, is there a Ms. Crystal Mack there?" I placed the phone in front of my face after the woman spoke sternly into the other side of my phone. I tried to figure out who this person was, and why she was calling my own personal line, let alone in the middle of the night.

"This…this is she." My voice steadied, and I let my freehand reach up to my ceiling fan, turning on my overhead light. As I began to wipe my eyes of sleep, the woman spoke again.

"Oh, hello. I have a request to call you on behalf of a, excuse me if I say this wrong, Lush Livington?" My eyes squinted shut as I crawled out of bed.

"Lash Livingston?" The woman 'ohhed" in apology, and confirmed the name. "What's the problem?" Grumbling against the phone I walked across to the dresser and looked in the mirror to wake up my face. Straining and stretching, I almost didn't hear what the woman said next.

"He's…in the hospital here…" I froze, and the woman's soft voice began to fade into a silence as my thoughts rushed forward. Hospital? Was he hurt? Did he do something stupid on his way home? But that was like, 4 hours ago, wasn't it? I ran from my dresser to the clean hamper on the other side of the room, snatching up a shirt (I do just sleep in a bra…) and jumping over the bed to grab the jeans I wore yesterday.

"Oh god, what's going on?" my hand hit my head as I had slipped on my shoes, rushing around the room again like a madwoman.

"He's badly injured; as if he were – uhm, I'm sorry miss, but I myself don't know what's going on. I just got a message here to call - " _Click. _I tossed my phone onto the bed and pulled my hair into a low ponytail, pulling myself into a hoodie. I didn't need to hear more of the useless talk from that lady on the phone. Sprinting into my brother's room, I began to shake him, urging his unconscious form to get up.

"Spencer! Urgh. This is ridiculous." I sighed, standing tall. I looked around for something, groaned in frustration as I realized I could never find this something in my brother's room. Running back to my own room to grab a pen and a pack of Post-It notes, I came back and scrawled a note to Spencer.

"SPENCER!

You were too slow to even bother waking, and we have an emergency at"

"Wait." I muttered, dropping the pen, and turning around to face my brother once more. Closing my eyes and standing up straight, I walked slowly to his bedside, and lifted my hand slowly to his forehead. Breathing in, I braced myself as I attempted to read his mind.

_I felt myself sinking into my brother, and my hand lowered onto his forehead, and the sinking feeling became deeper and deeper, until I landed in a pie plate full of pineapple pie. I looked down to my hands, which were covered in the sugared food, and a call from across the plate made me jump in my sitting position._

_"Crys, what the hell are you doing here?" I looked up to see my brother handling two blonde women who looked right about to be Playboy girls. Turns out, they were._

_"Ahh! Crystal! Bridget, do you really think it's her?" One of the blondes said excitedly, and the other peered over from fiddling with Spencer's neck, smiling. _

_"Oh, my god, Holly! It is! Crystal! Come over here!" the other one spoke happily, and I tried to get up, only to be plopped down into the pineapple goodness that was pie. "Oh, she can't move much. Here, we'll help." The two willingly let go of Spencer and slowly crawled across the crust, lifting me from the plate and onto the crust next to them._

_"Thanks?" I looked around. "Hey, where's Kendra?" Bridget pouted. _

_"Oh, Spencer isn't really into our sporty Kendra. She got to stay home with - " _

_"Puffin!" I smiled as Holly's enthusiastic response made Spencer go beet red in his cheeks. I leaned over Holly's shoulder to speak to him._

_"Well, they are his girls, Spencer. But I think that they like me more than you. Aha." I rubbed it in his face as he began to crawl upon the large crust to us, and fell into the pie about a quarter of the way over. We giggled fiercely, and Holly spoke up to me._

_"Even though this is only a dream, I know where you live, and who you are, Crys, so I'll have the mansion call you soon so we can all hang out, okay?" I nodded in shock; not really believing it all, and Bridget and Holly were gone in a flash._

_"Spencer! Get us out of this stupid dream so I can tell you what's happened!" I growled, as did Spencer._

_"This better be important, sis. I was about to kiss Holly."_

_"Keep dreaming."_

I fell backwards onto the floor as my brother tossed his head up from his pillow. "So what's the big deal?"

"It's Lash, Spence." My brother scoffed, brushing his shoulder as he leaned toward me.

"What about him? You guys get into a fight?" he claimed a baby voice and squinted his eyes as if in making fun.

"No. He's in the hospital." My brother whipped off his comforter and retrieved his black hoodie from his bedside post. "The lady who called me said that he's badly injured – I can only hope it's not so serious."

My brother looked at me as if 'badly injured' was a small deal. "How do YOU plan on getting there?" He smirked as I turned away to think about it. "Are you seriously thinking about it?" My face turned back to him, and my expression lightened as he held out his arms.

"Brush your teeth. I need to change my shoes for this ride…" I stood tall and ran back to my room, ripping off my flats and grabbing my black and white converses off the floor. Spencer appeared at my door, a paper bag of food hanging from his belt.

"Brushed. But you really didn't need to know that." I pointed to the bag quizzically, and ran from the room to brush my own. As I ran down the stairs, he explained in all in a whisper. "It's for Lash if he's alright. I can't have him eating that gross hospital food. They inject some really gross medication into them if you refuse to take it, don't they?" I continued brushing, but my eyes widened.

"_Are you serious?"_ My brother looked around in shock from the internal voice, and I spit. "I said, are you serious?"

"Iono. Hurry up, douchebag! It's been 7 minutes since you woke me up." Running to the kitchen, I scrawled a note to our parents once they woke up.

"_Mum, Dad, Spencer and I are at the hospital. Lash is in some sort of trouble; call my cell if you need us."_

"Easy pie." I heard my brother say, and I watched him open the front door. "Climb on." He turned to face the dark outside world, and I got a running start to jump onto his back. "OOPH!" he steadied himself. "Alright. Let's move out."

"Geronimo! Aha!" I called out to the wind, and I held tight to my brother's neck as we spent the next minute and a half running around the city. Spencer got lost.

"Where's the hospital?" I scoffed.

"About a block away from the drop off from school. You know, just in case one of us kids fall off the edge of the school." He snorted as I nodded in agreement. "Potato mash in seconds!" I seemed a bit excited about all this, didn't I?

"Alright you're scaring me." Spencer spoke aloud as we entered the parking lot of the Maxville Hospital. I ran in first, and I watched as my brother warily jogged in right behind me. Letting myself get out of control, I sauntered over to the receptionist desk and hit my hand on the granite counter. The two ladies behind it jumped in surprise, and one jittered around to grabbing courage in asking me a question.

"Hi. Uhm, welcome to the Maxville Hospital. Miss, I'm really sorry, but you cannot be here so late in the night." I growled, and stared into the woman. I knew how to get this one over with. Using my mind, I made the lady think it were only 6 o'clock, even thought it was maybe, how should we say this…1:30 in the morning? The lady behind the counter smiled sincerely, and spoke. "Who may I ask are you here to see?" I shook off the professionalism of the woman to the lady at the police station. Spencer came up on my left side, and he muttered Lash's name. The lady strolled around to the computer, and typed in his name with extra long fingernails. I sighed with impatience, and used my mind to switch the computer screen to the two of us, and the ladies behind the counter screamed in horror of such an act. I quickly read the number and floor on which he was in, and then switched the computer screen back to the ladies once they got to the elevator.

"Level 4. Level 4. Level 4." I paced the elevator, and Spencer held my shoulder as the door 'ding'ed open.

"What number?" I ignored him as I ran out of the large elevator, dashing past doctors and slow nurses.

"Miss, slow down or I'll have to call security!" Spencer heard this, and he ran down the hall to grab my arm to slow me down. "Wait, why are you here anyway? It's…" I turned around and put a hand up, making the woman think it were only 6, like the last woman at the desk.

"CRYS!" I jolted back to him, and he noticed that my eyes were red and puffy. "You need to slow down." He whispered gently, and I hugged him quick, turning around to face a particular room. He looked up, and noticed the whiteboard on the corner. "Livingston/Tellerva."

Slowly I opened the large door wide and peered inside. My eyes closed as I heard the beeping of the life monitor, and I held my breath as I stepped through to the room. Gasping a silent gasp, I saw him. Spencer walked in slowly after, and watched my tears fall even harder.

"Cr…ys" Lash lifted his hand to my face as I came closer, my salty tears falling hard onto his wrist and sliding down his arm. "Mm." He strained to sit forward, letting go of my face and reaching over to the bed control, lifting up his upper body. When the slow moving bed got to the position he wanted it in, he invited me to sit on the bed beside him. "Sit, Crys." He muttered, and Spencer watched from his seat across the room.

I crawled right up next to him, and he searched for my hand. I glided my own across his chest and he let it lay there until his own reached over to caress it. My other hand lifted to his forehead, and I slowly moved his hair out from his eyes. Lash turned his head quickly, as if not wanting me to see what was underneath.

"Lash…" I whimpered, watching his body decide. When his face slowly turned back to me, he nodded to let me do what I wished. I twisted my hand to hold in his, and I slowly raised it to my lips, letting it stay there for a moment as I kissed it. I watched as he smirked, but the cut along his cheek looked as if it were about to burst open once again – so he stopped. I set down his hand and looked into his eyes, wondering what had happened. His arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me in closer, our noses almost touching. His eyes closed slowly, his eyelashes tickling my cheeks. Breathing in, I closed my own eyes, and I heard Spencer stand up.

"I gotta use the bathroom." He rushed from the room, and I sprawled out next to him on his bed. It took him a while, but he turned to face me, and I opened my eyes. A large bruise lay upon his right eye, slightly covered by the use of hospital mattress – and my neck. I let out a sob, and his grip on my back had become tighter, as if letting me know that he was there, he was alive. I shoved my face into his hair, and closed my eyes tightly, listening to the soft breathing of the two of us.

Spencer walked in shortly after, and he whispered to the dark room that he'd sleep in the other bed, on the other side of the room. I used my mind to open the curtain and close the door to the hallway, and then lay still in the darkness. I heard him jump onto the other bed, turning on the TV and placing earphones into the remote. He lay there silently, flicking channels every so often, until he broke the wonderful silence.

"Crystal – do you think you can grab cable for this TV?"

_"What do I look like to you? A cable guy?" _I heard Lash chuckle to himself, and he raised his head to kiss my nose. It was good to hear his laugh. Spencer sighed, and walked out of the room again, asking one of the ladies at the desk to drag in a movie for him to watch. I heard the woman agree, and he walked back in the room.

"Lion King is playing over at Casa La Speed." I shook my head, and I leaned up to kiss Lash's lower lip. I was thankful that he was all right to the point where I was able to hold him.

----

The sun in the windows seemed to wake Lash up. It was only 6:45 when the sun began to shine, and he thrusted his face into the wonderfully smelling woman next to him. He could hear the gentle breathing, the soft lift of her chest with each breath against his body. During the night she had tossed a turned, only to crawl right back into his arms moments later. Lash let his hand glide up her back to her ponytail, loosening the scrunchie and having her hair fall freely, and he felt her hand slowly slide up his chest. He was wide-awake now, and he noticed the closed door. Surprised that a nurse hadn't opened it, he nuzzled into Crystal's hair, breathing as soft as ever. He smiled shortly, leaning back to kiss her cheek. He heard a soft moan come from deep in her throat, and he peered over her shoulder at his best friend. Remote control in his hand, and the main screen of the Lion King was still playing on the TV. A loud snore was heard from the boy, and he chuckled, searching for Crystal's hand. With his other, he found the bed control, turning it down to become flat. The whir of the machine below had startled him, now noticing how loud it could really be. He turned to the window controller, and closed the blinds, and he turned his face toward Crystal's. Her eyes were open.

"Mohnin." She mumbled, closing her eyes again. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead, and she smiled. "How did you sleep?"

He swiftly kissed her cheek, and she lowered her hand to scratch his chest lazily. "Better than I ever have in my life." Her eyes opened.

"Even with all this going on?" He nodded, and he let his arms travel around her body. When she got even closer to him, she squealed in delight, laughing out loud. Quickly covering her mouth, she smiled as he slowly lowered her on top of him. "This isn't going to hurt you?" He looked off a bit, and then back to her face.

"As long as you don't hit my left side, I'll be perfectly fine." She nodded, and lay down facing her sleeping brother. Her eyes trailed around the room, and caught sight of a menu.

"Breakfast?" she smiled brightly, reaching over to grab the menu off the tray.

"Uh, not from that, you're not." Speed finally woke. He tossed over the bag of food, and Crystal noticed that most of it was of leftovers. Mom's leftovers. She slowly and carefully got off of Lash and onto the empty spot on the mattress, digging out doggie bag after doggie bag of food.

"We've got, Mom's version of that McDonald breakfast sandwich, Olive Garden," she gasped. "These are MY breadsticks!" A shocked look came across her face as Speed smirked over at her.

"Whatever. Keep talking." She put the breadstick bag aside as she kept digging through.

"Uh…we've got Mom's Chicken Parma, Mom's Lasagna," Each item was placed on the tray next to Lash's bed.

"Dude. What DIDN'T you pack from home?" Lash spoke, a little more clearly than he had yesterday.

"Condiments. But that's only because I knew I could take that from the café downstairs." Lash nodded, and Crystal went on with her list of food that Speed brought.

"Deli meat, the pizza I made, fruit salad," she pulled out a few soup cans. "Soup?"

"DUDE!" Lash said, grabbing his bed remote and looking to Crystal to be weary that the bed was about to move. She nodded, and her knees moved over. "Did you even leave anything for Mom and Dad?" Lash chuckled; knowing that calling Mary and Michael 'Mom' and 'Dad' was pretty much not a problem with the family.

"Coupons for Papa Ginos." Crystal chuckled.

"For breakfast?" Lash laughed as Speed spoke up.

"Dude, I left eggs and bagels. They're good until we get home." Crystal looked over.

"And according to the food amount in this room, that'll prolly be…when? Next month?" Speed gave a menacing look to his sister, and she snorted, peering into the bag again.

"Annnnd I think that this is Dibs, that ice cream thing with little ball…things?" Speed laughed at her, and she tossed the can over to him. He caught it and opened the top, tossing a handful into his mouth. She picked out a small bag of bread, and she saw Lash smirk, picking up the lasagna tray. She put all the food they weren't eating into the bag again, and she opened the tupperware of fruit salad. "Geesh Spence, you could have at least brought some pepperocini rings." He grimaced at her, and she stuck her tongue out as she wavered through the bag for a couple of plastic forks. When she found it, she stabbed a watermelon piece and lay back down beside Lash. He took the other plastic fork in her hand, and opened the lasagna tray, forking around the meat in the aluminum plate. Crystal didn't seem so focused, and she got up from the bed for the first time.

"I need to go for a walk…" She put down her food, turn to kiss Lash's lips gently, and opened the door to walk around the 4th floor.

--

Lash looked to Speed, and sighed. "What's wrong, bud?" he spoke lazily, more focused on trying to get the small Dibs into his mouth by tossing them in the air.

"It's…it's just that…I'm nervous."

"You've got a right to. I mean really, Cranium want's your body." He snorted at first, and then burst out laughing, dropping the Dibs cup onto the bed.

"NO! It's not just that. Its…I wanna, tell Crys that," Speed was trying to adjust the cup so that it would stay still. Once he did that, he threw one up in the air. "That I love her." Speed's face abruptly turned towards his best friend, and the Dibs he just threw up in the air plopped right on his head, squashing into the ice cream bit it was. The ice cream trickled down to his nose until he noticed what happened – what Lash said.

"Wha? Huh?" Lash looked out the window, and fiddled with his food.

"I love her, Speed."

"I hear that now." He whispered, grabbing the cover of the cup of Dibs and placing it where it belonged, and tossing the entire thing into the paper bag. "So just tell her."

"Speed, it's not that easy."

"Sure it is! When she walks back in here, just be like, 'Hey, Crys, I love you.'" Lash glared over at his friend. "Right. I see your point. That sounded corny anyway."

"Mm." He moaned in agreement, hitting his head against the raised bed behind him. "And there's not enough time left in school, so I don't really wanna wait 'til summer shows up."

"Why not? Cause then that gives you so much more time to tell her."

"I'll explode by then." Speed gave out a laugh.

"You will not explode, douchebag."

"Fine. I'll die trying to say it to her then." Speed sighed, imagining the point in time where he COULD possibly die from trying to tell her. 'Cranium could already be in his body by that point in time.'

"Yeah, thanks, Speed."

"Did I just say that out loud?"

"Yes."

"Oh." He looked off, trying to think of how his best friend could tell his sister that he loved her. "Sorry."

"No, no it's okay." Lash tossed a pillow where Crystal lay before she left, and hugged it, burying his face in it's feathery self. "You know what?" he muffled a sentence out to Speed, and he looked over at the injured boy. "I'll, ask her out to dinner. Me and her. Some, really authentic Italian place. THEN, I'll tell her."

"You know she loves Olive Garden."

"Olive Garden isn't authentic, Speed."

"I don't think she'd care where you took her. I think she'd love anyplace you took her. Even if it were behind a dumpster."

"Oh, ha ha, Speed. Maybe you should shut up."

"How long have you been standing there?" Speed asked, and Lash's face lifted in an expression of fear. Did she hear what he was planning?

"I heard Olive Garden from like, down the hall. I knew you two were talking about me, sooo, I came back." She smiled, and went over to Lash, who leaned up on his own to kiss her lips.

"Psh. No love for the brother." Speed pouted.

"You're lucky I broke your dream this morning to get you, Spence." He stuck his tongue out at her. Lash laughed, and she climbed on the bed.

"What did Sir Speed dream, Ms. Mack?" she smirked.

"Holly, Bridget, and a gigantic pineapple pie." She lay down beside him, and Lash tried hard not to laugh really hard. "And they were all like, bathing in the pineapple pie. And I got stuck when I plopped in, so the two of them, they ditched Spence and crawled over to help me out." Lash sat there listening, laughing, and Spence ran out of the room to only come back sooner, throwing a wad of wet toilet paper at his sister. "But I'm not done!" she cried out, dodging the wad. It hit the blinds, and began to soak there.

"Go on, love." He whispered, and she got comfortable with her head in his neck and her arm around his shoulder.

"So then Holly said that even though it was a dream, she knew who I was, and where I lived, that she would have the mansion call me so that they could all hang out." Lash snorted, and Crystal giggled at the vibration. "Yeah, I know. But hey, whatever. They like me better than my brother. All is well."

Lash nodded as he slowly picked her up again, setting her down on his chest like before. She lifted her chin up to face him, and he closed his eyes. Speed could be heard wandering around the room, and he picked up the paper bag by his bed. Lash thought about how to say _it,_ and thankfully, Speed's excuse to leave the room was to get some condiments for a sandwich he wanted to make. He left in a blink of an eye, and Lash opened his eyes to stare at Crystal. Her face was turned away from his, and he lifted his arms to cover her back, and he could see that her eyes had closed. The smallest difference in her face was that there lay a tear, a small tear, on her nose. It was teetering on the verge of falling onto Lash's chest, and he let go of her back to wipe it away.

"Crystal?" he whispered, running a hand through her hair. She lifted her head towards him, and he stretched his lips to reach her forehead. She laughed lightly, and continued to stare at him, as if in admiration. "I, wanna, tell you something."

**Well, that's my 13****th**** chapter. Did I do well? I hope so.**

**Here's a test. **

**Does Lash back down on that authentic restaurant deal that he thought about? Or does he just blurt it out at the hospital?**

**More to the fact of the matter – what will Crystal say? Oh boy. **

**Anything? What does Lash have planned that he can't tell Crystal he loves her during the summer? Is he…shall I say it…hiding something?**

**Hehehe.**

**Review, my loves!**


	14. Chapter 14

Hey guys. I'm back with an all-new chapter. :) Alrighty. I'm _still_ kinda peeved at how no one really even bothers to review my chapters. Yes, you read. But do you realize how severe these reviews make us authors…happy? If you never review the stories you take the time to read, then you're only angering the authors into becoming ravaging tycoons. It's outrageous, and you're only bothering us all by not doing anything about it. And a few of my 'friendly neighborhood writers' can agree with me. O.o Soo, start.

:yawns: guhh. It's really late. You're lucky you have such a determined writer to be up at like, 12:30 in the morning to type. _For you._

And another thing? I like reviews. Criticism or praise. I really don't care either or. (That really wasn't the other thing, but I think I'll get to that after I complete this chapter. :)

OHOHOH! I rememberrr. I saw HP5 the day it came out. :)) Haha. Sooo proud of myself. But it seemed so…iono. Quick. Like it skipped 6 chapters, even the smallest details, the really important ones. Umbridge didn't explode the wall of the Room of Requirement, damnit! Sorry. A small spoiler.

Nah, that really wasn't it either. But to tell you the truth, I can't remember… o.O

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I just realized a few chapters ago, that Cranium is mine as well, so, I own him, and Crystal. Oh, and guess what? The only things else reality wise that I own? Sky High, 2005.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**[Past.**

"**So then Holly said that even though it was a dream, she knew who I was, and where I lived, that she would have the mansion call me so that they could all hang out." Lash snorted, and Crystal giggled at the vibration. "Yeah, I know. But hey, whatever. They like me better than my brother. All is well." **

**Lash nodded as he slowly picked her up again, setting her down on his chest like before. She lifted her chin up to face him, and he closed his eyes. Speed could be heard wandering around the room, and he picked up the paper bag by his bed. Lash thought about how to say **_**it,**_** and thankfully, Speed's excuse to leave the room was to get some condiments for a sandwich he wanted to make. He left in a blink of an eye, and Lash opened his eyes to stare at Crystal. Her face was turned away from his, and he lifted his arms to cover her back, and he could see that her eyes had closed. The smallest difference in her face was that there lay a tear, a small tear, on her nose. It was teetering on the verge of falling onto Lash's chest, and he let go of her back to wipe it away.**

**"Crystal?" he whispered, running a hand through her hair. She lifted her head towards him, and he stretched his lips to reach her forehead. She laughed lightly, and continued to stare at him, as if in admiration. "I, wanna, tell you something."**

"What? What is it?" she whispered, slowly lifting her head to face him. Her hair fell short in her face, blocking his view of her sparkling blue eyes. Raising his right hand, he began to reach forward towards her hair, yet his hand hesitated before the both of each other, showing clues that he was struggling with the right words. Finally fixing the locks of hair, he stared longingly at her blue eyes. In a moment's notice, though, he looked away.

Lash sighed to himself, debating on telling her now. He looked to the clock by the door, estimating that he had only five more minutes if he were going to tell her. "It's big."

She gave a confused look to him, tilting her head to the side like a puppy to catch his glance. "What's big?" She sounded cheerful, unaware that he was now ignoring her eyes.

"What I'm gunna tell you." She silently sighed, lifting her upper body to tilt her head above him. Her hand slipped off the side of the bed as she held up herself using her arms, and as it slipped, her pointer finger hit the "call nurse" button. Cringing from the slight pain, she realized the light on the button go off, and both heard a voice from the callbox moments later.

"Ah, Lash!" he gave a weary look to the wall as the cheery, singsong voice filled his ears. "I was wondering when I'd be hearing from you. I'll be in there in a few seconds." The two teens groaned in response, and Crystal hit herself in the head, a look of stress covering her face.

"Sorry." She mumbled, skittering off him and into the chair next to the bed right before the nurse walked in. Innocent enough, right? The nurse, (with a glittery nametag) Betsy, walked over to Lash's drip, tapped the clear bag with worry, and tsked loudly.

"What's wrong?" Crystal wondered, reaching beyond the woman to grab Lash's hand in urgency.

"We-lp!" Betsy sighed, placing her hands on her hips and nodding her head. "He's running severely low on his morphine," Lash paled. "I'll have to," she pulled out her tools from her fanny pack, "inject it into the bag." Crystal winced as the woman pulled out a long, clear needle, utterly mortified of the damned things. Leaning as far back in the chair as possible, she began to shake, actually stretching Lash's arm slightly in the process, and he smirked to himself. He was getting the morphine to the system, not her. "This'll make you pain-free and knock you out for a while. And you, Mr. Livingston, look like you need a lot of rest." Lash gave the woman a halfhearted smile, and blinked towards Crystal as Betsy left the room. He looked at the deep dark circles below her eyes, and thought that she needed it more.

Slowly he leaned back as Crystal lifted her self off the chair and onto the bed beside him. Quickly glancing at the clock, Lash nodded to himself. When he did this, his head jolted back against the pillow, and his vision became blurry, as if he were drunk. He closed his eyes to steady himself out, only to hear a small laugh in his ear. The breath from this laugh tickled his ear, and Lash inhaled deeply, his senses heightened from the lack of eyesight. The smell of roses and lavender filled his mind, and he smiled.

"What's so funny?" he asked slowly, carefully turning his body sideways towards Crystal. The scent was stronger here, and he lay still to waver himself in it. His eyes flew open to stare into hers, and the immediate feeling of calm overtook him. His eyelids fluttered once, twice, three times, and he squinted them shut, carefully raising his hand above Crystal's face, lowering it to have it be placed upon her cheek. Her own hand covered his, and she lifted her face against it. The light touch of her lips against his hands came around, and he smirked. Breathing out, he opened his eyes once more.

"Hey." He heard her whisper, as he glanced once more at the clock on the wall. "What was it you wanted to -?"

"Crystal," he interrupted her, bringing her face closer. For the um-teenth time that morning, his eyes fluttered closed, and he breathed out.

"Yeah Lash?" her whispers became softer by the moment, the lavender and rose once again packed his mind. Lash was fading quickly, and he had to say it. Now.

"Crys, I…I love you." He spoke in a dead tired tone, his murmurs almost inaudible. And yet the last thing he had heard was the girl sniff.

----

I laid there in shock. Did he…? My eyes closed and my legs slowly curled up to my chest. Hearing a door open and shut behind me, I almost fell off the bed as I jumped in fear. When I noticed who it was, I chuckled to myself as I held my heart in relief. Spencer was back.

In the smoothest of movements, I turned and rose up from the bed, and my feet hit the ground silently. The look on his face when he watched me move, I swear you could accuse him of murder, and he'd be arrested for such a look. Eyes darting to look off everywhere but my own, I put my hands on my hips and began to tap my foot with impatience. In a flash he blinked and shook his head. "I…I wasn't involved in _anything_." He stuttered slowly, waving his hands in front of his chest wildly.

I glared fiercely. "What makes you think I'm accusing you of anything?" Spencer blinked again, folded his arms in his own little tough way, and glared right back at me. I stole a glance at Lash's sleeping form; his calm features took over his face as he shifted his face to the left, away from my squabble with my brother. My own face whipped back to Spencer, and I immediately thought that I was going to break him. He was going to anyways. Anyone could notice the beads of sweat now dripping down his temple.

Spence backed against the wall, looking at the window as if he were begging for freedom. We were on the what? Fourth floor? Ohh, I dare you, my sweet brother.

"Alright!" he burst out, making even himself jump from the outbreak. I smirked in triumph, and he crossed the floor to the windowsill and sat down. "Alright. He told me he was going to tell you he," he sighed. "Ugh." A look of disgust covered his face. I raised my hands up in response, impatience. "He loved you." My head began to spin.

I looked about the room as I gripped the side of the hospital bed, to Lash, to my brother, and to the door. Gathering strength, I stood tall. I bent over Lash, and kissed his forehead, whispering my sweet, quick goodbye. Clasping my hands together in front of me, I walked out of the room.

--

"You guys - what do you think? Joke or truth? I'm not really sure if Lash and Spence were lying or not. He was probably letting the morphine…"

I was home now. Maybe 11:30 in the morning. Lying on my bed earlier on, I decided to consol two of my best friends; Mel and Layla. At all costs I thought they could help me.

"We-lp," I cringed. The nurse at the hospital had said the same thing. Ugh - needles. The damned horror! Layla continued. "Since you're the only girl he's ever _really_ been with, I think it's a possibility that he's telling the truth." Mel 'mmhm'ed in agreement, and chose to speak after Layla.

"Yeah, and he's known you forever, Crys. It'd be entirely, and completely impossible - for him not to love you." I smiled, looking down at my hands. I blushed at her statement, and brushed some of my hair out from my eyes with a quick wave of my hand through it. A strand came down, and I began to play with it as she went on. "But the more important question, Crys, that you have to ask yourself, here, is if you love him." I blinked, unable to understand where that came from.

"That was…unexpected." I muttered softly, but Layla perked up into the phone.

"No, not really." I could almost see her shake her head to the ground. "I was actually thinking on how I could tell you the exact same thing myself, but Mel beat me to it."

"Ah-ha! 5 times the charm, baby!" Mel laughed.

"Oh, well you got lucky this time. NEXT time, you're goin' down."

"Psh. What-_ever_."

I sighed into the phone, and held my forehead against the counter in my kitchen. Was asking these two helping me? I heard a loud, airy sound in the phone.

"Who put us on speaker phone?" I mumbled into the cordless, and I heard a refrigerator door opened in the background, and the tested turn-on of a blender. I smiled, knowing who it was this time.

"I'm hungry," said a faded out Mel, away from the speaker.

I laughed, sitting up in my stool, remembering an old tune. "She's hungry like a wolf."

"Oh be quiet, betch." Mel cried out, and I heard a "sphlaut". I closed my eyes and imagined her kitchen, and a t-bone steak being dropped into the tall blender.

"Mel!" Layla called out, unaware of her…problem. "Didn't your parent's ever teach you phone etiquette?" Mel's footsteps headed towards the speaker.

"There's phone etiquette? Oh, well, first I've heard of 'em."

--

It was around 3:30 that Spencer came home from the hospital. He slammed the door shut, and ran into the kitchen, and I heard a faded 'crunch' of the brown paper bag hitting granite tabletop. I was partially unconscious on the living room couch, when he walked into the room to throw a corner cushion at me. On nights that I slept with worry, I tended to float - and at that moment I was floating, but not at the usual height of about 6 feet. With my mouth slightly open, my teeth were stuck in the soft pillow. I sputtered against the fabric now hanging from my mouth, and I felt gravity push me down. I fell about 3 feet from the air and onto the couch below, and pouted. Laughing maniacally, my brother sprawled out upon the opposing couch.

"How izze?" I asked in a whisper after ripping out the pillow, rolling onto my side. I watched him shrug lazily, and rub his eyes.

"He woke up…ehh, two hours after you left, and wondered where you went." My eyes trailed to the floor as I sighed and leaned up over the couch. This made me feel extremely horrible. "But he got out. He's home now. He told me that he'll call later for you." I sighed again, sitting up. I watched my brother watch me carefully at the corner of my eye, as if looking for something. Looking as if he were waiting for a reaction from me. I brushed myself off as I ran up the stairs to my room - I needed to think. A lot.

----

Lash's mom was at his beck and call. Any command, wish, thought, granted by his mother. He was laying in his bed, rolling around in frustration. Once he calmed down a bit, he growled, reaching over to his side table to grab his cellphone. The 18 year old was fiddling with the buttons on it, debating on calling Crystal. He tapped in the first 5 digits, and then erased them, shaking his head. He should give himself more time before making a fool out of his dignity. He dialed out her number again, and tossed it onto the ground, hearing a caring voice from across the room.

"Honey?" He looked to his doorway, where the soft voice came running over from. His mother stood tall, a plate of what seemed to be her attempt at Crystal's custom made sandwich with a side order of crispy bacon, in her hands. She smiled as she entered the room, stretching her legs over the clutter on the floor. As she placed the plate on his side table, he muttered a gentle thank you, picking up the plate moments later. He plated it into his lap, and lifted the sandwich in inspection. His mother looked on, a look of hope in her eyes. His eyes narrowed, and noticed the edible item to be quite similar to the ones Crystal made. In fact, it was identical.

"Toast, mustard, ham, lettuce, pepperocini rings, lettuce, tomato, American cheese, mayo, annnnd toast." His mother smiled brightly as she stated the ingredients, her hands now on her hips. Lash nodded, but looked from his food, to his mother, back to his food. Was this an odd sort of dream? If it was, why was he dreaming of Crystal's sandwich?

"Mum, it's identical to Crystal's! How'd you remember it all?" he asked, confused. He thought it over - usually she forgets the pepper rings and lettuce. And cheese. And tomato…forgets to toast the bread…

"Well…" she said, looking away from her son.

"Because Crystal, made it." A new voice called out from behind his mother. Lash swiftly looked beyond his mother to Crystal, who stood proudly against his doorframe, arms folded across her chest. Her eyes were bright with inner smiles, but her cheeks told him that she had been crying earlier. She smiled a small smile. "Hey."

"Hey," he whispered. His mother smiled to herself before ruffling up her son's mane, and left the room in a rush. Crystal stepped into the room slowly, and reached behind her to close the door after his mother sauntered out. Up against it she stood, and breathed deeply. He watched her cross the room gracefully like a ballerina, dodging the littlest things to make her trip and fall. As she reached his bed, he smirked at her. Her moves now were soft and quiet, similar to a hummingbird's as she climbed atop Lash's bed to sit cross-legged beside him nearest the window.

The two were quiet for a while; staring at each other, the room, their hands, until Lash awkwardly picked up the knife on the plate, and offered her half of his sandwich. She nodded, still quiet. Handling the half piece off to her, he gave it to her slowly, careful not to spill any of its contents. After, he stupidly removed a paper plate from beneath his own, and she nodded again, receiving it soon. They ate in silence, ignoring each other's eyes, until moments later, when Lash dropped his sandwich in an angry fashion. The bacon on the side of the plate had fallen out, and onto the floor, but Lash didn't take his eyes off Crystal.

He growled. "Okay, what's wrong?" Crystal shrugged. Lash though things over once again. "This isn't about what I said at the hospital, is it?" Crystal stopped mid-chew, and turned to him, a failed blank stare on her face.

His face turned up to the ceiling, and she swallowed, sighing inwardly. Blinking, she put down the food and began to fiddle with her fingers. "Lash I know you might not have meant…" he gave her a disbelieving look, and she held her mouth open, bobbing it like a fish would. She clenched her teeth together, and rethought what she was going to say next. "You just got drugged up on morphine for Christ sake!" Lowering his head, he felt his whole body shake, finally breathing out a trembling sigh. At the corner of his eye he saw her hand hit his down comforter softly. Her fingers outstretched as if need of his own, only to have it slide closer to her being, the sense of rejection in her movements.

"How do you know it was the drugs?" he whispered, not giving her the satisfaction of a look. Once his face rose over at her, the eye contact had then been brought back.

"Well, now that I think of it, Lash, I'm not sure if it were drugs or not," he nodded his head to let her know he was listening, but looked away to the seams in the comforter. Crystal's hand covered his, and he looked over and down at them. Her head tilted to look into his eyes once more. "But I spent the last four hours - thinking."

"Thinking?" He finally said, a disbelieving look upon his face as he ripped back his hand. Lash chose to bring his face to confront hers, but she looked away, out to the window in rejection of his last action.

"Well, no, Lash." She whipped her head to him, and a slight irritated look crossed her face. "Lemme state it better." She turned her face to the comforter, and lifted up the edge to slip her legs underneath. He fiddled nervously as she now flattened the edge onto her hips. "I spent the last four hours up in my room, rolling around on my bed, wondering if what you said was true, or if you and Spencer were playing some really bad joke on me. That consulting my friends about it all doesn't help much - " Lash gave her a confused look, but she continued. "So I sat there, thinking about you, what you do to me, what you do _for_ me," she breathed deeply, her last words shaken, but she went on, her voice a degree or two higher than it usually was. "And after that, I laid there, bundled up in all of my blankets, and somehow during all this time thinking my feelings for you, I ended up in the empty corner of my room by my window, bawling my eyes out until Mom came up to check on me." Her voice became quiet, and Lash flipped his hand to squeeze hers as a tear splattered onto the comforter. "And then - and then I realized something!" Her voice got louder, as if she were reaching complete hysterics. "After all that time, Lash, when my mom came in, she told me that everything was okay," she searched his eyes. "That everything was okay, Lash, whatever my problem was, whatever it was about you, that it would pass quickly, because I loved you." Lash's face perked up, and she gave him a tearful smile. "Lash, she knew I loved you before I__even _realized_."

"Then…?" he whispered, giving her a smile. She slowly reached over and squeezed his hand in response, now sinking into a horizontal position underneath his covers. She lay facing him, a small smile stuck on her face. Crystal watched him fondly as he let her hand go and bring his own up to her hair, stroking lightly until her eyes closed.

Leaning down, he kissed her forehead, sinking on down beside her. His left arms reached around her waist below the sheets, bringing her closer to him. Her right leg wrapped gently around his, and Crystal bent her face into his throat. A deep breath was released against his neck, and he heard her whisper softly against his skin.

"I love the sound of those words." He smiled, nodding his head lightly.

"Me too, Crystal."

**Alrighty guys. Review time! I love themmm.**

**I just wanted to let you all know, that yeah, not that many people actually read author's notes. :( THAT, is also very depressing, since when an author actually decides to type out something for others to read, they expect them to, only they don't get it. I might not have made sense at all here, but it's the truth. Eh. Please read these…**

**Mkay. Well, I just wanted to say sorry for not updating so soon. I might not for a while, cause of all the problems I'm having with my own computer. The one in my room, has a bad monitor. It (like) died and there's a little white dot that sinks down to the bottom half of the screen and disappears into nothingness. That's the monitor. :( I haven't been able to type anything, listen to anything, since (like,) last month. Or a month and a half. I can't remember. It's saddening. :(**

**Anyways. My mom's been bugging me to get a job. Well I've applied! It's not my fault that grabbing a first job is hard. :( But I'll be doing something interesting when I get to stopping this little chapter, cause I'm gunna go sit down at the table and write out maybe…two applications, just to get her off my back. She's so irritating! GUHHHHHH. But aren't all parents like that?**

**Yes, I know it's a short chapter. :( I didn't expect it to really be short, but this is only (like) 5 pages on MSW, but with the usual "happy new chapter, everyone! Yay!", the usual summary, the usual faulty disclaimer, and the recap of the last chapter. Meh. Along with this. Haha, cramped much? Thought so.**


	15. Chapter 15

Hey everyone! It's been a bit, hasn't it? Well, I'd just like to say that I've gotten my own computer up and running again, my father had gone to his work and found a spare for me. :) I was sooo excited when I lugged it inside. You know what I did when I plugged it in? I screamed. Haha, yeah, totally. Anyways. I sorta scared my friend – I was talking to her when my dad pulled up with the new moniter. Sorta, screamed into the phone once the moniter clicked on. WHOOO! I typed most of this on a whim, and kept telling myself this wasn't going to be a filler chapter. I…can't…think straight, thinking that this could be a filler chapter. Well, let's just say it isn't, and call it a day, shall we::Makes you nod head in agreement:: ALRIGHTY! So. Let me just begin, truly, by saying, "I MISSED YOU!", and that this chapter shows a lot of cutesy children. Teehee. On with this, please.

Just for the record – IT'S NOT A FILLER! D Haha. This chapter holds secret knowledge. LMFAO. Well, it does.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I own anything you're not familiar with from the movie.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**[Past.**

**Her voice became quiet, and Lash flipped his hand to squeeze hers as a tear splattered onto the comforter. "And then - and then I realized something!" Her voice got louder, as if she were reaching complete hysterics. "After all that time, Lash, when my mom came in, she told me that everything was okay," she searched his eyes. "That everything was okay, Lash, whatever my problem was, whatever it was about you, that it would pass quickly, because I loved you." Lash's face perked up, and she gave him a tearful smile. "Lash, she knew I loved you before I ****even **_**realized**_**."**

**"Then…?" he whispered, giving her a smile. She slowly reached over and squeezed his hand in response, now sinking into a horizontal position underneath his covers. She lay facing him, a small smile stuck on her face. Crystal watched him fondly as he let her hand go and bring his own up to her hair, stroking lightly until her eyes closed.**

**Leaning down, he kissed her forehead, sinking on down beside her. His left arms reached around her waist below the sheets, bringing her closer to him. Her right leg wrapped gently around his, and Crystal bent her face into his throat. A deep breath was released against his neck, and he heard her whisper softly against his skin.**

**"I love the sound of those words." He smiled, nodding his head lightly.**

**"Me too, Crystal."**

**----**

**Two months have gone by**.

_Lash's condition with Cranium has become worse. It was horrible. The Dr. could possess him for hours at a time, even going a few days. In those rare few days, though, Crystal was permitted by his parents to be locked in his room with him, whilst the genius Cranium could wander about. He spent most of the time making snide remarks to her - but that never phased her. It was only a failed attempt at escape. Sometimes, during the night, Cranium would release his hold on Lash - and sleepy as she was, Crystal never crawled into bed beside him. She would sigh, yawn, and raise her hand to the kettle on the bedside table to warm the water inside for another cup of coffee._

_----_

Whenever Lash came to during school, Nurse Spex would check out the damage - and always say that the internal bruising was getting worse, his muscles strained - his stretchy bones slightly teared. Around school, Lash could be seen limping, sometimes nursing a new injury on his face, whether it was a new cut upon his face, or a broken ligament in his side.

I, on the other hand, could be heard in an empty classroom, crying on the floor for him. I knew the way I was taking this wasn't wise, and my own brother knew it.

He walked into my usual spot, and closed the door behind him, sighing. "Crystal Skye Mack," I sniffed, realizing that this was the first time I've ever heard my brother state my full name. As I looked up, I noticed his face looking down at me from the opposing side of the room. "You shouldn't be in here." He crossed the room, and took my hand, picking me up with one tug.

"Spence, I can't handle this! Did you know there's a rumor going around that there's going to be a battle coming soon?" Spencer nodded his head. "Some kids are even calling it the 'final battle'." I growled. "This isn't Harry _fucking_ Potter, goddamnit!" I began to unknowingly pound my fists into his chest, and his own took hold of my hands.

"Stop." he whispered, and I hugged my big, fat, huggable brother.

"Spencer, what am I _supposed_ to do?" He frowned, but began to pull me out of the classroom.

"Not stay here, that's for sure." I whimpered, and the bell rang for first lunch. He looked at me carefully, and started to drag me to the lunchroom. "Crys, when was the last time you ate?" I stopped whimpering, and he stopped pulling me, turning towards me. "Crys..." I looked away, finding a new interest in the set of lockers to my left. "Crys, tell me."

I sighed, raising my left hand to reach behind my head to massage my neck. "Thr…Four days ago." The next thing I know, I'm being thrown into a cafeteria chair, and my brother is calling out to Mel, who was at the beginning of a long lunch line.

"Yo! Hey! Mel-ster! C'mere!" he yelled, waving her over from the lunch line.

"What is it, Speed?" she called back, her 'uninterested' tone of voice shining through. She took a moment to look at me, and her eyes looked confused.

"Can you buy Crystal a..." he turned to me. "What do you -"

"I'll get her the usual." she voiced across the room, over the sounds of bustling students, grabbing things off the counter as they entered the line. Spencer gave her a two-thumbs-up, and walked out of the cafeteria. He didn't have my lunch today - but Lash did.

My lip quivered, and a chockfull of tears spilled from my eyes as I lowered my head to face my lap, giving out great heaves. Mel tossed down my usual - buffalo chicken with cheese - and covered it with ranch dressing before properly giving it up. She pushed it across the table towards me, and as I gave another heave, she nodded, grabbing it back to shake it herself.

"He's...at the nurse's office...again...isn't...isn't he?" I stuttered, looking up to my friend, noticing that my vision was blurry from the few tears that forbid themselves to fall. She looked at me with caring eyes as I wiped my own on my long sleeved white tee. Mel slouched, pouting slightly at my state, but then looked beyond me, and her outs went out of focus - not paying attention to me any longer.

She stopped shaking my salad, and I glanced as she slid it back to me. At this action, I heard the bustling students stop, the room becoming mildly silent. Their conversations stopped as well, and I watched as people's heads craned their way towards me.

"Well, no, I isn't." My breathing stopped, and I looked at Mel, who then stuck a happy smile on her face. Choking back a sob, I slowly turned around to face the one boy I truly loved. I smiled at him as he wiped away the chunk of tears sliding down my face - it's been a few days since I've seen him out and about here.

Today, he was sporting a really bad black eye, his neck rivaling that of a strangling victim. The cuts on his cheeks were back, and a few old ones were still red and swollen. But the one thing that really stood out, though, was the gray scar on the left side of his face. It trailed from just below his eyebrow, and curved to a stop at the tip of his cheekbone. The scar in general hadn't done any damage to his eye, but he had told me a few times that it was still pretty shocking to see it on his face when he looked in a mirror - it kept reminding him of 'Scar' from The Lion King.

"Hey handsome." I whispered, smiling a small smile as I jumped into his arms. I held him tightly, but as gentle as I could muster so I wouldn't hurt him.

His lips trailed to my ear. "Your brother's told me something pretty shocking." He whispered, lightly caressing my hair. The noise level in the room became normal once again, and he set me down on the bench, crouching before me. His hands were on either side of me, and I looked into his eyes. They looked back at me, as if in search for something, and I sensed security flow through me.

"I know - and I'm sorry, Lash. I was just...worried." I voiced, and he turned me around, sitting beside me as Mel looked on, nibbling on her spaghetti.

He gave me a stern look before taking the salad in front of me and opening the lid - sliding a plastic fork into my fingers. "There's no reason not to eat, Crystal." I slowly nodded in agreement, and felt his fingers trail down my spine, smiling softly.

--

Reaching home later that day, I stepped through the threshold to collapse onto the couch. My body caved into the crease between the cushions, and my arms traced my face, closing my eyes. My mother walked into the room, and sighed loudly, causing my eyes to once again open. "Hey, Mom." She tilted her head in a smile, and gracefully crossed the room over to me, and crouched down to meet my face.

"And how is Lash?" I rolled my head back, and it hit one of the cushions, bouncing the back of my head slightly.

"I blame you for this." She glanced at me, taken aback by my comment. "If you weren't so attractive, Cranium wouldn't be after Lash to get to Dad." She pouted, and placed her hands on her hips.

"Well, don't blame me. It's not _my_ fault my father fell in love with my mother." She stood up, and I sighed, following her movements. Grasping my arms, she pulled me towards her for a hug. "I really hope this doesn't go so far, Crystal - your father is really worried." I squirmed out of her embrace.

"Mum, _EVERYONE_ is worried." I looked down at my feet, and I sighed. "How are we going to fix this?" I brought my face back to my mother, and she frowned.

"I'm not sure, sweetheart. But we'll think of something."

----

Lash and Speed crammed onto the bus that afternoon, aiming to get to Lash's house. Looking out the window, Speed wrinkled his nose, his eyes slanting into thought. "Do you remember when we didn't have to worry about all this?" Lash turned his head towards his best friend, and his eyes seemed distant as he thought about Speed's question.

_"Ready, man?" Speed asked him, and Lash nodded, smirking at his short, chubby friend. "Alright, you go first." Slowly, Speed opened the white door, and Lash glanced inside. The white round clock hanging on the wall ticked loudly, and it proudly showed the room that the time was 7:55. Lash stretched his midsection to make him grow to the size of the average 16 year old, and he took one long, curved step into the room, letting his other leg fall slowly behind. He stood in front of a small bed, with a tiny girl tucked beneath the thinnest blanket._

_"Alright - so when I attack, you run in here and scream, got it?" Speed nodded to the young boy, and he slapped a mischievous smile on his face as Lash crept closer to the girl. He looked her over, and saw that her neck stretched slightly to the side, facing her window, her eyes squinted closed. Watching the calm rise and fall of her chest, he raised one leg onto the bed, lightly hitting the wall to keep balance as he shifted all of his weight onto that leg. The girl's head turned to the door, and she shoved her face into her light brown hair, exhaling deeply through her mouth. Her hand slowly lifted up from the pillow it rested on, and Lash froze, his eyes peeled for any sign that she was actually awake. Her hand hit her nose, and he heard the faint 'scratch' of nail against skin. He looked to the ceiling in relief as the hand fell back to the cushion-y soft pillow it rested before. He took a moment to breathe slowly, and his hand hooked itself onto the ridge of the window. His other leg was now shrinking back to the size of his other, and he was finally standing on her bed fully. He glanced to the clock on the wall in front of him, and smirked at it as the long hand finally hit the 12, the short hand almost glistening on the 8._

_Cupping his hands to his mouth, he called down to the girl with his best ESPN impersonation. "__**IIIIIITSSS TIICKKKLEEE TIIMEEE!!!**__" He laughed as he began to jump on the bed, careful not to hit the girl's small legs beneath. Her large eyes opened wide in shock, and he laughed even harder as he pounced on top of her with the sound of a battle cry, his hands ripping the blanket off her. She screeched in terror, unable to move. He raised his hands above her, and in seconds they were tickling her beneath her chin - making her twitch. He stopped momentarily to grab her small hands, and he raised his knees to shove them beneath. She looked at him with a menacing glare in her eyes, and he smirked, laughing, if possible, even harder. His mouth curved into a determined look and his hands trailed down her sides as she screamed in laughter and anger, twitching beneath him to try and break free. He turned his head to Speed, and he nodded, looking back to her. Her shimmering blue eyes widened even more, and her muscles tensed underneath Lash, and her face twisted into a look she commonly showed around these two - expectancy. Her eyes closed quickly, and her mouth opened to show her top teeth, her lips stretched - and before her expression contorted severely, she opened her mouth._

_"NOOO, DON'T, PLEASE!" she screamed, and Speed chortled before running in. _

_"__**GARRRGH!!!**__" He cried out, his own battle cry sounding more like a plea for help. He jumped onto the bed, and almost rocked the mattress right off the frame. Lash laughed as he brought one hand up to her face, creeping his hand down her neck and below her ear - and felt her face in his hands. She turned her head every which way constantly, trying to swat his fingers away, but Lash was persistent._

_"Oh, Crystal, you're going to have to do better than that..." he smirked, turning his head around to face Speed, who brought his hands to the ceiling to stop the bed from bouncing. He jumped off, and Crystal turned to her brother. _

_"What..." her eyes flashed over Lash and she screamed again. "WHAT, NO...! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!" Lash took his hands below his knees and grabbed hers, picking up her upper body. She growled her response to this, and he laughed again, now standing up on the bed. He pulled her entirely out of bed now, and tossed her up over his shoulders like a rag doll. Speed followed close behind as they ventured out of her room, and down the stairs. "I hate you." she muttered to the air, and Speed slapped a sticker onto her forehead, snickering at her folded arms, her fiery glare as she went to rip it off. He swatted her hand, and they reached the kitchen, where she pouted against Lash's back._

_"Here she comes, the birthday girl..." Her father said, laughing throughout his sentence. Lash set her down in the chair at the head of the table, and smirked as he sat down to her right._

_"Yep! Just 2 minutes ago, you were born 7 years ago." Her mother smiled, and walked out of the room. She came back momentarily with a big plate of pancakes, and Crystal turned to her brother, who spoke just after._

_"Okay, __now__ you can take off the sticker." She reached up, and ripped it off her skin like a Band-Aid, and took a few seconds to rub her forehead. Crystal peered at it, and sighed hopelessly as she put it on her left hand. _

_"'Happy Birthday, Booger'? Nice, Spencer." She called sarcastically, and he chuckled beside his father, who was banging the table in a fit of loud laughter._

Speed looked at Lash weirdly. "Hellloooo?" he called, waving his hand in his face. Somehow the two of them were off the bus now, and were headed down the street towards Lash's house. The tall boy began laughing loudly, and headed towards the home. Speed raced next to him, and his eyes showed a confused look. "What's so funny?"

"Do you remember Crystal's seventh birthday?" Speed looked away for a second, and then broke into a smile.

"Aha, yeah, I remember. I almost smashed my head into the ceiling that day." Lash gave him a short chuckle.

"Hey, you know what I'm planning on doing when I get outta school?" Lash said, opening the door to embrace the coldness the AC left the house in, the emptiness the home held. Speed began to walk slowly away from the front entry room, and into the kitchen to grab something to eat.

"No…" He said calmly, sauntering into the living room where Lash had stuck himself. Speed held a flavored water bottle in his hands and an unwrapped fudgicle in the other for Lash. Tossing it, Lash stretched his arm to grab it, and he opened it as Speed sat on the corner of the couch.

"I'm thinkin' of moving outta here." Speed nodded, and took a sip of water.

"So...? Where do you think you'll stay?" He asked, his voice sounding excited.

"I'm not really sure, but I've been checking out the listing in the newspaper lately." Speed glared.

"Oh. Whudju find?" Lash devoured his fudgicle before speaking again and then turned on the TV.

"Well, there's this place on the other side of town, right around the Corner Mar-"

"I was kinda hopin' you'd be staying with us, actually." Speed muttered, and looked to the ground. Lash sat up on the couch, and looked over to his friend.

"I practically live there, Speed. And I spend less time here, already. I think I need to find myself a place of my own. I'm already old enough to," He said quickly, and ran a hand through his hair. "And I've been thinkin', that it'd be really sweet to have my own place." Speed nodded in agreement, and sucked down a quarter of the bottle in his hands.

"But you'd be making room for me, right?"

"Duh." They smiled, and Lash quietly sighed.

"Have you told anyone about this yet?" Speed asked loudly, and Lash frowned as he shook his head.

"I was planning on telling Crystal later on – maybe a few days before graduation…" Speed scratched behind his ear before piping up to speak.

"Seniors get out half a month before everyone else – what are you going to do then?"

Lash shrugged, but his eyes told otherwise. "Probably talk to the owner of the house." His gaze wandered around the room. "Pack my things – pay up front." He nodded his head at his own words, leaning back on the couch with a sigh.

Speed got up and glanced over to the TV cupboard. "Hey, isn't that..." He pointed, and Lash looked it over. "It _is_. The ol' photo album..." he whispered, and tossed his water bottle onto the couch, and walked over to the TV, crouching down to open the cubby.

Reaching in, he grabbed a dusty, worn out and browned book, and smirked towards Lash, who crawled onto the spotless white floor. His arms stretched towards the album, grabbing the spine and edges before it collapsed to the ground. As he pulled it back towards himself he winced in pain. Speed gave him a weary look, knowing what had happened; Lash was getting weaker. Speed sat down in front of him and coughed loudly when Lash bent down and blew onto the cover.

"Well, you can at least see what it says now..." he muttered, coughing himself. Speed glared at him.

"It's a fucking photo album. It's supposed to say "Photo Album", you dolt." Lash chuckled, ignoring Speed and cracked open the first page of pictures.

He burst out laughing, pointing to the first picture. "Oh, God, this is embarrassing." Speed peered over at it upside down, and saw a little boy sitting in a tub, a sudsy mohawk atop his head. He was about 4 years old, and gave the camera a goofy smile, his left hand up as if to say, 'Don't take my picture!'

Speed snickered, and they skipped a few pages, knowing that Lash's mother put them in order from when he was only a baby, to the point in time that could have been only last year. It was a big photo album.

"Let's find one with me in it, too." Speed said, flipping through a few pages, until Lash looked about to be eight or nine.

"Fourth grade, man." Lash knuckled Speed, and joked once they found a picture of a skinny little boy in stripes, and a chubby boy wearing his father's old high school jacket. The sleeves of the jacket were too long, obviously, and the only part of the boy that could really been seen, was his mouth, that was smiling widely. The rest of his head was topped with a backward baseball hat, too large for anyone but his father. But they only started laughing again once they noticed a little girl in a white Easter dress, making a crazy face in the corner at the camera. "Oh, look, it's Crystal." Lash smirked, and flipped to the next page.

A few pictures were of only fireworks, out at some fairground. Speed tried to skim over a few pages from this, but Lash stopped him, smiling as he remembered something. Wiping the smile from his face, he looked up at Speed.

"Hey, do you know who gave Crys her first kiss?"

Speed looked confused. "What?" Lash repeated the question. Speed looked off, and then looked back to his striped buddy. "Yeah - some kid in junior high - Zack, that glowy sidekick...why?"

Lash's eyes danced with laughter, and he shook his head. "You're wrong." Speed's eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember that New Year's party we had at your house when we were in the 5th grade? All those kids showed up?"

Most of the kids were running around, chasing each other with noisemakers, poking each other with the tips of their New Year hats. "They can be, so childish, you know that?" Crystal groaned, sitting on the couch besides Lash.

She glanced down, sinking slightly. "This is my favorite place to sit." She smiled, and turned to the clock on the cable box across the room, chaging the subject. "Only a minute away, and they're already going to give me the first headache of the year." She shook her head, and Lash looked at her. He chuckled slightly, and placed both arms on the top of the couch, casually sinking into a spot.

The adults were calling the children back to the room, and Speed was speed eating at the buffet table, trying to get himself to finish his plate of junk food before the new year began.

"10...9...8...7" They shouted, and a few adults held each other's hands, smiling as they counted down the numbers.

"6...5...4...3" Lash looked at Crystal again, smirking as she watched the ball begin to get closer and closer to the end. He tapped her shoulder with his finger, watching her look the opposite way.

Seeing no one on that side of her, she turned her head towards Lash, who smirked as the adults and children cried out "2...1! **HAPPY NEW YEAR**!" His lips met hers, and felt her smile slightly beneath him, her sinking form being held up by Lash's hand, holding her side. He broke apart from her, smiling.

"Happy New Year, Crystal Mack." He jumped out of his seat, running towards his mother to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"So you had a crush on her...for that long?"

Lash chuckled softly, and shook his head. "I always thought she was cute the entire time I kne -"

"Lash." Speed's eyes closed, his mouth in a loose grimace. _He didn't want to know this._

"Only when she started going to junior high. We started talking more then." Speed gave him a sideways glance, but nodded anyway. As long as he didn't hurt her.

----

I sat at the kitchen counter, teetering to each side of a bar chair, debating on calling the boys. But did I really need to? I sighed, stepped down, and wandered towards the big window in the living room. Looking out, I pouted. Oh, what I could be doing at the moment. I turned around, and called out to my mother. "Yes, dear?" she muttered back, and I stood up, walking into her empty room. I immediately thought of my dad.

Dad was at work still, as he worked everyday, only having a day off every two or three days. Depended on which boss he was under.

I made up a lie the moment I saw her. "Hey, uhm, do you think I could go to the mall today?" She looked up from her desk, her tired eyes shining through her heavy make-up. No doubt she used it to cover it up - Mom never wore make-up, not unless it was for a dinner party somewhere.

"Oh, sure honey, do you need a ride?" I shook my head, practically gliding over to my mother.

"No, I'm just going to go and pick out my death day outfit..."

I smiled, and she gave a tired laugh.

"Mom, you need rest." I finally whispered to her, leaning over to hug her. She reached out to wrap her arms around me, and I gently made her stand up. She chuckled, and she took off her slippers as she climbed into the large bed. I kissed her forehead, smiling as her eyes closed against the pillow.

**Alright, that was my 15****th**** chapter. I sorta just wrote most of it on a whim, like I said before, starting from right after Lash met up with Crystal in the cafeteria. But I did good, right?**

**Believe me, I've got the 'final battle' skimmed in my head. :smirks at your shocked faces: oh, don't be such a disbeliever! I've got a new character to introduce, but **_**she**_** will only be in the fight for about maybe…one chapter. I'm not exactly sure.**

**Anyways. If anyone's curious, this is what I've been doing for the past while that I've gotten my computer working!**

**Listening to music.**

**Typing out my story, as well as pretty new stories:**

**Lash/Layla**

**&&&&&**

**Hermione/Blaise (Though I will forevermore, love Dramione)**

**If anyone's interested in either story pairing, PLEASE tell me – I like mail. And I thought that putting up a new story could be cool. :big smile:**

**Ew. A moth was flying around here, but then I heard a 'plink', and…R.I.P., moth. You were sadly annoying, but the ceiling fan surely took your life with a bloodlust. :sigh:**

**ALRIGHT! So. Now I must tell you the usual, which, surprisingly, I haven't spoken of yet:**

**REVIEW, MY LOVES!**


	16. Chapter 16

I've got a nice tip for when you write a story! D Put post-it notes onto your wall! Well, write on them first, with ideas for your story on them. Haha. That's what I did. :big smile: I feel all-powerful, really. I've got…7 post-it notes still stuck to my wall, and they're just sitting there…waiting to be un-sticked and written onto MSW. I CAN'T WAIT :bigger smile:

Anyways, I just wanted to say that the post-it's really work. I just finished this chapter, (written, completed) the day _after_ I posted my 15th chapter. I'm just…waiting for the right moment to post this one. Teehee. CAN YOU FEEL MY EXCITEMENT!?

I also wanted to say…that I was planning on making the 'final battle' a BIGGGGG one part, but then I was like, "eh…I do, but I don't want to." Cause then, you'd all probably be wanting bigger chapters, and…and I can't always give you what you want. D Sooowwyy.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I own anything you're not familiar with from the movie.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**[Past.**

**I sat at the kitchen counter, teetering to each side of a bar chair, debating on calling the boys. But did I really need to? I sighed, stepped down, and wandered towards the big window in the living room. Looking out, I pouted. Oh, what I could be doing at the moment. I turned around, and called out to my mother. "Yes, dear?" she muttered back, and I stood up, walking into her empty room. I immediately thought of my dad.**

**Dad was at work still, as he worked everyday, only having a day off every two or three days. Depended on which boss he was under.**

**I made up a lie the moment I saw her. "Hey, uhm, do you think I could go to the mall today?" She looked up from her desk, her tired eyes shining through her heavy make-up. No doubt she used it to cover it up - Mom never wore make-up, not unless it was for a dinner party somewhere. **

**"Oh, sure honey, do you need a ride?" I shook my head, practically gliding over to my mother. **

**"No, I'm just going to go and pick out my death day outfit..." **

**I smiled, and she gave a tired laugh. **

**"Mom, you need rest." I finally whispered to her, leaning over to hug her. She reached out to wrap her arms around me, and I gently made her stand up. She chuckled, and she took off her slippers as she climbed into the large bed. I kissed her forehead, smiling as her eyes closed against the pillow.**

The night sky glowed over the horizon, and Lash crossed his arms as he bent back slowly into his pillow. Speed had gone home about an hour ago, and he fixed himself a sandwich for dinner. His eyes closed slowly, wincing at the pain in his chest. He groaned, and brought his right hand from beneath him to place it on his ribs. "Fuckin'…Cranium." He muttered, and laid still, his breath faltering slightly from the immense pain. It felt like something heavy was crushing his ribs, a punch here, a punch there, a fat bastard sitting atop his chest. His eyes squinted together as his mouth turned up in a snarl, rolling onto his side to breathe out.

"Lash…" he heard a whispering laugh, and he growled at the sound, though it was all in his head.

"…What." He muttered to the air, his left hand coming up from underneath the pillow to scratch around his scar. He heard a laugh come from the back of his head.

"It is time." He cringed as he sat up, his eyes opening to glare at a wall.

"What the fuck are you talking about, nitwit?" Lash looked about the room, and immediately heard a loud clap reach his ears. Instantaneously, the area he was at changed. Blinking, he realized that his arms were tied about the back of a chair, and Cranium sat on his bed, smirking.

"You're going to die, my boy."

"Don't call me that." He barked, trying to fiddle about with the knot his wrists were in. He wasn't his son. Lash looked up to the black haired villain, and the man smiled. _Just lift your arm, Lash._ He thought to himself, struggling slightly at the knot. _Stretch your fingers, man. Stick it in backwards - through…_Lash felt a small release, and he looked at his lap. _Forearms together, push away as you lift slowly."_ His head turned in thought, and Cranium was watching him casually. His dark eyes followed the boy's face, and he growled as Lash broke free.

"I hated that class." He whispered, and Lash smirked as he stood tall.

"Never thought 'Break-Yourself-Away-From-A-Chair' would be an activity I'd actually pay attention to…" He smirked as he took a step towards the older man, and his beady black eyes darted every which way before Lash grabbed him by the shirt to throw him out of the window, locking the glass. He breathed, and blinked quickly, his room coming back to normal.

"Gotta call her." He muttered, stretching down the stairs, almost crashing into the wall on the landing.

----

"Is…_what?_" I said, almost crying out throughout the house. I glanced at the clock in the kitchen; 8:30.

"He's going to attack tonight." I heard him repeat, and Spencer ran down the stairs.

"Mom's gone missing." He spoke hurriedly, and I paled. I heard Lash bang the phone on something hard. My hand flew to my forehead, elbow resting on the counter for support.

"Lash…I…"

"Crystal. Get to Sky High. I'll be coming soon, so don't wait too long." I nodded, my eyes closing as I heard Spencer race around the corner. "Make sure your dad is in the house!" As if on cue, Spencer ran back into the kitchen.

"Dad isn't here _either._" I breathed a gasp, and shivered.

"If I'm not at the house in 10 minutes, call Ron to pick you two up to get to the school." I nodded, and a tear fell onto the granite top.

"I love you Lash."

"I love you too, Crystal." I heard the phone click on his side, and Spencer stared at me for a moment as I held the receiver down with my thumb.

"Where's the business card Ron gave us at the beginning of the year?" I watched him look at the bulletin board across the room, and he took a few steps to rip a white card from it. He slid it across the granite top, and I picked it up, glancing slightly over at my brother before calling the bus driver. "I think we should call the others, too, Spence."

----

Lash slammed the phone down, his right hand flying through his hair in frustration. Growling softly, he exited the kitchen and went to his parents' room. Quickly crossing the room to his father's side, he opened the sidetable drawer in search, finding nothing. Turning on his heel he shouted loudly to the empty house, before peering to the wooden door ten feet in front of him. "Of course." He whispered, and took three long steps towards it – opening it at top speed. Taking notice of the clean floor, he didn't find what he was looking for. His eyes scanned the long rack of formal white shirts, hanging in equal spaced hangers.

Lash's head turned up to the shelf above, and felt the familiar twitch of pain; Cranium was trying to leak back into his mind. He shook himself quickly, his hands quivering up to a mahogany box, sitting alone. Ripping it from the dusty shelf, he chucked it onto his parent's bed. His body wheeled around to lean over the soft mattress, and he tried to open the box.

Locked.

Growling, he clawed at the top of it, and then an idea crossed his mind. He lifted his finger to examine it, and it slowly stretched out to form itself into a key. He lowered it back down, and stuck his key-finger into the keyhole, turning slowly. The box clicked open slightly, and a musty smell has flown from it. He whipped his finger from the hole and opened the box with one hand, his eyes glistening with anger, lust. It revealed a handgun; the six bullets lay glistening in their own little cavity.

Placing the gun in his hands, he fumbled quickly as his head bent back in suppressed pain. He screamed loudly, growling as he focused back onto the task in his hands. His fingers instantly grabbed the bullets from their sockets and slipped each one into the barrel, closing it.

He released a shaky breath from his mouth, and slid the gun into his pants, shivering as he felt the coldness of the gun against his skin. Taking a step forward he bent low, screaming as he pulled his hair, trying to focus on something else but the pain. Yet once he rose back to straighten himself out, he gave a smirk, revealing his now smoky red eyes of cold, hard malice.

--

Looking down, he noticed he was back in his room, looking confused. "Haha, you weak bastard." Cranium laughed, and rose from his seat on the bed to crouch before the boy. He took a moment to realize where he sat, and snarled as he realized that he was where he was before, only this time, his hands were tied back with a teared bedsheet. "It's going to happen tonight – _the death of you!_ The tragedy of the lives taken at Sky High, the damned school itself." He smiled. "I can see it now." He muttered quietly, looking towards Lash's eyes.

The boy growled, and tried to stand up, even though he was struggling with the bedsheet.

"My assistant, Ms. Snow," Lash whipped his head in interest as the man spoke calmly. Cranium smiled evilly as he stared at him. "She will be there."

"And?"

"Oh, now you listen to me." Lash groaned in frustration, and his head turned up to the ceiling. "Well, my dear friend Snow is going to help me to get to Mary. I've told Snow all about her, and she's agreed to help me grasp the love of my life." Lash shook his head back down, and he sighed. "Listen, BOY!" Cranium yelled towards him, and Lash jumped slightly at the volume of the man's voice. "Since you think you're so high and mighty, boy,"

"I've _never_ thought I was high and mighty." He whispered to himself, and Cranium smacked him in the face.

"Listen. To. Me." Lash glared as he lifted his head again to the man before him. He continued. "Since you think you're so high and mighty, I've asked dear Snow to help me with my…problem – **you**. You just…don't know when to quit and die, do you?"

"No." He smirked. "No, I don't." Cranium took a step forward him, but thought it over again, stepping back.

"Well, she's volunteered to help me kill you – and your little group of…groupies." He frowned, and Lash snickered.

"Groupies? They're called friends, asshole. Family, even."

Cranium ignored him, speaking as if he hadn't heard him.

"Her power, you see, is amazingly strong. Can you guess what it is?" He smirked.

"Oh, uh," he spoke sarcastically. "I dunno, control the weather, possibly?" Cranium frowned again. "You know, her name totally gives it away."

"No, you are wrong." Lash rolled his eyes. "She, of all people, can create disastrous blizzards. Typhoons of snow." He rolled his eyes again.

"I was close."

"You were wrong!" He cried, and his eyes glared through Lash.

"Whatever." He muttered, shrugging.

"She has the ability to kill you faster than I am, and I'm going to use her -"

"Isn't that hurtful, Crani -"

"_DO NOT INTERUPT ME, LIVINGSTON_." Lash glared.

"I'm just saying – I mean it's hurtful once they find out you used them -" He shut up once Cranium's hand met his face again.

"I'm going to use her to distract your little, _friends_." Lash smiled.

"Now you've got it." Cranium growled. "Only, they aren't _little._"

"It doesn't matter, boy. Because you're all going to die, and I will finally have my love. My bride. The love that will love me as much as I love her." His eyes faded slightly in thought, a dreamy expression on his face. "And there won't be any problems, for we will rule this world, the people at our command!" He laughed maniacally, and Lash turned his head back to the ceiling again. He scowled.

"And what about the other villains?"

"They are measly. They do not deserve my time." His eyes closed and his head turned up in a snotty way, his hand waving the air in a careless fashion. Lash smirked.

"What about Crystal, Speed? _Mary's children_?" Cranium's eyes flashed with happiness, a small smile upon his face.

"I don't really need to tell you this – I should be saving my breath for the world when I control it." He smiled wider. "But since you are to die soon, I shall tell you anyway." Lash's head rolled to the side. "They will either die at Snow's skill, or they will forevermore be my slaves."

"They're humans. With feelings, idiot." Lash growled, the thought of his friend and his love under Cranium's control making his stomach churn. The older man chuckled before yelling.

"What do you think I felt like, you blistering ass? I felt like a rat in a cage, living in that cell! Treated like vermin!" Lash winced as he saw the man's eyes get darker, the happiness in his eyes fading away quickly. "What am I, boy? Do I look like a rat?" Lash shook his head. "No. I am human. Superhuman, in fact." He stood tall, and then grabbed a chair to sit backwards towards Lash, his arms resting on the back of the chair. He brought a new smile to his face as he changed the subject. "I am going to make Mary love me." Lash brought his eyes to his.

"You can't make someone love you. It's…not right. It wouldn't be true." Cranium swallowed.

"She is mine, boy. And she loves me. She just hasn't gotten it through her head so quickly."

"If she loved you, you wouldn't be making such a big deal about all this. You wouldn't be trying to kill me to get to Crystal's father so that she was with you forever and always." Cranium didn't like what he heard.

"SHUT UP, _YOU FOOL_!" Cranium ran a hand through his raven hair, scowling. "Your words don't even matter to me. You are fickle, small, and about to die soon anyway." He smiled as he saw a blast of cold air fly through the open window. Small snowflakes danced in front of their faces, and Lash frowned.

"Yeah? Well, you're stupid, old, and no one loves you." He felt like a child, smirking at his lousy comeback. "And I, am not any of those."

"Just for that, boy, Crystal dies first."

His mouth turned up in a snarl, his head facing the floor as he shook with uncontrollable rage. He breathed in.

_His words are lies, Lash, you know this._

**But he's able to do that. **

_Lies, Lash, LIES! _

**He could really kill her! I…I can't let that happen.**

He shook his head, ignoring his own thoughts. "This isn't going to happen, you dolt!" He screamed, hocking himself a loogie and spitting in the villain's face. Lash lifted his face to stare at Cranium, who tilted his head as he wiped the spit off his cheek, stroking it onto Lash's shirt. He smiled, and Lash figured his way out of the ripped bedsheet. Cranium walked back to the bed, and pounced gracefully onto it. His face glistening in the moonlight, the coldness of his stare making Lash shiver slightly before he witnessed the older man smile once more towards the window.

"On the contrary, my boy. We're already there."

----

"Ahoy, riders of the bus!" I ran up the small steps and into the bus, nodding my head towards Ron as he lowered his cap in recognition. Looking down the thin aisle, I noticed how many people were on the bus. Will, Layla, Mel, Warren, Zack, Ethan, and Magenta.

"What's happened? Mel never told us, Crystal." Layla asked me, as Spencer told Ron that they all needed to get to Sky High as fast as they could.

"I'm not the head bus driver for nothing, boy." He smiled kindly, waiting for Spencer to sit before speeding off towards the highway. I glanced at the expecting faces, and I lasted on Mel.

"You didn't tell them what's going on?" She shrugged.

"You never told me the whole story." I groaned in frustration.

"I didn't have enough time, Mel." I stood up at the end of the bus, holding onto the two seats beside me. I looked quickly to the front, and all heads turned towards me.

"Cranium's up at Sky High right now." Warren stopped me immediately.

"Somehow, we knew that." He peered over at Mel, who shuddered at his gaze. "I've wanted to kick this guy's ass since I got involved with this whole thing." Layla nodded in agreement, and Will took her hand gently.

"Uh, guys? Isn't it Spring?" Magenta called loudly, her uninterested voice breathed, and Zack looked out the window beside her.

"It's _snowing_." He whispered, and as the kids looked out the window, I was closing my eyes.

"I could melt it when we get there," Warren grunted, but Ron spoke up.

"Not this type of snow. Back in 85, a lovely Ms. Snow was arrested for trying to create a 2-year long blizzard, killing millions across the country." Ethan shivered, his hands reaching up to his shoulders to hug himself. Ron peered out the windshield, his eyes squinting to get a better look at the sky. "Yep, it's her doing." He sighed. "Sky High that year, was closed down due to the blizzard." He scowled. "I didn't get to drive anywhere."

I nodded at the name, and mildly faded from his voice. I peered out the back, and to the sides, seeing a new blizzard on the grounds of the school. "…She wore this really big amulet, around her neck." I tore my mind away from my thoughts, and my ears brought me back to the conversation.

"What about it?" Layla called out to him, trying to shut the windows before snow started to pour inside. I began to help her, and the others got out of their trance of Ron's story to help us.

"Well," he started, using his right hand to turn on and off some of the gadgets above his head. The bus started to slow down, and lower a bit. "Principal Powers looked it up when she did her usual check up on the villains at the police station, and found that it held her power – if she didn't have it around with her, all Snow could be able to do, would just make a light snow fall."

Spencer, Mel, and Will looked over to me, and I gasped. "We've got a plan!" Ethan cheered, but he looked to Magenta, and he stopped once he noticed her expression. I started to get back into the seat beside me as Ron started to turn the bus into the running strip on the grounds, and I narrowed my eyes.

"We do."

"We do?" they all asked me, and I nodded. Ron hit the ground, and the doors opened. I looked out the window beside me, and caught a glimpse of black and white stripes lying on the field beside the school.

"We will, at least." They looked confused. "Just, let me think about this while we're here, alright?" Spencer got up and out of the bus, and each of them followed shortly after, me being the last one to leave. My brother took hold of my arm.

"I'm going to get help."

"But, Spencer -" He shook his head, climbing back onto the bus.

"I know you can save Mom and Dad." He shook his head again as I begged him to come along. "And Lash."

I sighed, and climbed back on board to give my brother a hug. "I'll see you, then." He hugged me shortly, and sat back down, his head at the window nearest me.

I turned quickly to Ron, and he saluted me, driving off the grounds. He'd be back in under 2 hours with help – I knew my brother.

"What are we doing!?" Zack called, and Magenta crossed three people to punch his arm.

"She'll tell us, idiot." She smirked as she faced me, and I closed my eyes. The cold wrapped around me, and I cried out before I disappeared into the snow now constricting my chest like a snake.

"Find me!" Layla gasped as I was whisked away into the snow, and she took a few steps running ahead of the others.

--

"Alright, everyone." Layla said, calling out to them, turning around so that she was in front of them. "Mel, come here." The girl complied, and shook her head against the harsh wind. Layla grasped her arm and held her close, trying to get her words across over the wind. "Go invisible, and try and find them on the grounds." Mel nodded, frowning as she began to run off, her power rising before creating an invisible Melissa. "And come back with some news_**! DON'T GET INVOLVED YET!**_" Mel brushed the wind from her face, and gripped her cheek as a piece of ice scraped her face, blood trickling slowly down her fingers.

--

"Warren." Layla ordered to step forward. He grimaced as he took a few strides, and she looked up at him. "Your fire won't work with her power, so what I want you to do, is be a back-watcher."

"What the hell is that?" She sighed against the snow flying in her face, her arms crossing her chest to keep warm.

"Follow Mel's footsteps and try to not get caught." He nodded his head slowly, and ran off, his head down against the ice and snow, following the Converse size 9's left in the white bliss.

----

Somehow, I fainted when the snow took me. I looked ahead of me, seeing Cranium stepping towards me from another person far away. I grimaced at his smiling face, and I looked around as the person had evidently called him back, because he started to go back. My mother was in a giant bubble protected from the wind, and my father - my dear father, was in his own bubble, but he stood still as if in shock. Mom was laying down in hers, and her eyes closed, as if she was still sleeping from when I tucked her into bed hours before. "Crystal!" My father screamed, getting out of his state and smacking the bubble, getting my attention.

I gasped in horror at his terrified face, and he smacked the bubble repeatedly, trying to - what it seemed like, pop it. I closed my eyes, and squinted my eyes in his direction, thinking hard. "_Dad,_" his eyes bulged out like an owl. "_Dad, it's Crystal._" He breathed, his hand on his chest as he looked to me. "_I'm…gunna get you guys out of here._" He began pointing to whatever was behind me, and I tossed my head to the side, my left hand smacking the snow as I noticed what was there.

Lash.

"No," I said weakly, my voice high and scared. "No…Lash!" I heaved in a breath full of snow and ice, the wind blowing my hair in my face and the snow constricting my chest had loosened ever so lightly. Lifting myself slowly, I crawled his way until my hand was in his, feeling his numb fingers against my own. "Lash." I whispered, watching his body shake from the cold. He tried to squeeze my hand in reassurance that he was okay, but all I felt was the tingle of ice melting against skin. His cheek was smashed into snow, his face extremely red. I crawled even closer; my head now raised a bit above his as I kneeled up on my elbows. His lips were almost dark blue, and his body shaking rapidly.

I watched his left eye open. Half of his face was buried in snow, and when he saw me, it opened wider.

"Crys…Cri…"

"Shut up Lash." I shivered out, and he lifted his head slowly. I heard crinkling of snow underneath him, and he lifted an icy hand against my face, smiling softly.

"Crys…tal the…red-nosed…girl." He chuckled out, his chest heaving as he did so. Bent over, I quickly brushed frosted hair from his face, and he leaned in close to me. His arms crossed over me, holding me tight. "You're…so…war…warm," he whispered out, and I lowered my head to his freezing cold shirt.

"Lash…" I whimpered out, and he held me tighter in his numb grasp, his lips trailing to my ear.

"Time…shows us that…all that…ever mattered, all…that ever mattered, leaves…us in the cold."

"Now's not the time for Acceptance, Lash." I chuckled, and he held me tighter. I felt his chin hit my head as he shivered.

"I…I don't wanna…wanna lose you." He said, and I began to cry.

"If we stay here any longer, love, I know I'll lose _you_!" I heaved, and he grasped my shoulders, pulling me away. His lips were shivering so much I couldn't tell if they were ever going to stop. "So, blue." I muttered, and I raised a finger to his lips. "We…we need Warren."

"Well, you've got Mel at the moment." Mel whispered, appearing out of nowhere.

"Not exactly, Mel." A deep voice said behind her, and the 3 of us turned towards Warren.

"Warren. He, he needs heat." Lash shivered and held me tighter again, his eyes closed.

"What do you suggest we do?" He said, practically sweating.

"Will…will you help?" I stuttered, whispering, and Warren looked like he was going to retch.

"Warm him up?" He asked ridiculously. I nodded. Lash shook his head in my hair.

"No, love." I squeezed out of his embrace as Mel turned invisible. "I…won't leave…you."

"I need to get back to Layla." She said, her voice disappearing into the weather.

I looked to Lash. "Lash – it's the only way if you're going to survive."

He looked angry with me. "You're going…to die, Crystal!" His eyes swimming with frozen worry, he gripped me tighter than ever before. "Cranium said…you'll be the…first one to go. I…won't let that…happen."

"_Lash._" He looked at me, his mind opening to me. His voice cleared through my head.

"_Crystal, please."_ I looked to Warren, who gave us a weird look. I kissed him softly, his blue lips frozen as he tried to keep me with him. I let go shortly, and stuffed my face into his cold chest.

"Take him, please?" I shed tears onto Lash's shirt as I spoke, and Lash gave me one last horrified look as Warren picked him up, carrying him away towards the bus strip. "_I need to do this, my love._"

----

Layla was about to call out to Ethan as Warren came back with Lash over his shoulder. "Is he okay?"

"He can barely speak." Layla looked him over as Warren set him down in a decent-looking 'snowball' shield. Layla gasped as his state of mind, and wished something could pop into her head to help him. The shield blocked most of the blizzard, and Warren had uncomfortably held Lash against his warm chest. Magenta frowned, and Zack glowed for light against the storm.

"Do you think this'll let up any time soon, man?" He asked, huddled up against a ridged Will.

"Not unless anyone does anything about it." Ethan called across the shield. He was hunched over as Layla held out her arms around him, all trying to get near Warren and a near-dead Lash.

Warren tried warming the people around him as best he could without starting up a flame, but then he glanced at Layla, who gave him a knowing look – as if she heard his thoughts. With her arms around Ethan's neck, she lifted her finger to the ground to produce a small branch. Warren ripped it from the ground before seeing Layla wince at the movement, and set it aflame in a small trench. More small branches came up from the ground, and the others started to tear them from it, adding them to the fire.

Will and Mel – at the same time – closed their eyes and winced. Layla noticed this, and whispered, "what's happened?"

"She needs our help." The others lifted their heads to meet theirs, and immediately, Mel spoke. "Just us, you guys."

Silence.

"How…how is she?" A whisper fell over the quiet teens, and their heads turned towards Warren, who released Lash from his grasp when he realized he was mildly okay. He looked them all over. "Well?"

"What?" Magenta said, almost a scream over the wind chills. Zack turned to her and lifted a glowing hand to her shoulder as Will spoke up.

" Lash, she's…Mel – we gotta go." Lash's head lowered to his lap and the ice in his hair melted against the warmth of the fire he sat before.

----

"Well, he couldn't have gotten up and walked away on his own, now could he?" Ms. Snow said, her German accent dripping as she stepped closer. I shook my head as I shut my eyes, and expected her to slap me - scratch me even - with her long white fingernails. Four seconds went by, and I opened my right eye to see her back away, walking back to Cranium, who was caressing the bubble my mother was in.

She was still asleep.

Ms. Snow was waved away, and she huffed, a blast of freezing wind blowing Cranium's way. The woman who was Ms. Snow, had clear blue eyes, and a pale white face, which matched her shimmering hair color; practically silver. She hid her skinny, hollow frame by a heavy white coat, fur trailing down towards her ankles, which were covered with fuzzy, bright white fuzzy boots. She had a long and sallow face, as if she hasn't eaten much in such a long time. Her lips - the only natural, human thing about her - were a dark blue, much like Lash's only a lot darker – almost black. Snow's hair was tamed up into a frazzled look, as if the wind had broken a beautiful updo.

But the most important thing that I saw, was the amulet. A teardrop look of a pearl, it centered at her collarbone, held together by a shimmering prism-like string. I needed to take that away from her – but I needed help from Mel and Will. The superstrong friends.

----

"I can't take this any longer." He growled, and stood up.

"LASH!" Layla called, standing up as he began to stretch back to where he was found. Layla caught up with him and held his arm, tugging him back. "You can't go! You're…"

"**I NEED TO HELP HER!**" he screamed at her, and she let his arm go regrettably. He shrugged his shoulders, and nodded his head once, chasing down the side of the school.

----

"You said we were going to kill the girl!" She screamed at him, and Cranium tore his eyes away from the sleeping woman in the bubble, glaring daggers at Ms. Snow and her German accent.

"Fine, damn you!" He stalked away, and Ms. Snow followed behind, practically skipping. Cranium turned towards her, and she built a small bubble shield around him, taking him away from the freezing cold. He nodded for her to follow him once again, and they headed towards me through the icy winds. "But first!" he called out to the snow, and she groaned in impatience. He walked to the throne by the edge of the school, and surveyed the surroundings, smiling. Ms. Snow groaned loudly once more.

----

Lash found her, slouched over a white rock in pain. "LASH!" he quickly turned to the voice, finding no one. In a flash, Mel let go of Will, and both turned visible. They were waiting for Crystal to give them a sign to move in. "Don't go!" He rolled his eyes - impatient - and ran towards Crystal. "Lash, you'll be in trouble again with it all!"

"_**SHUT UP, MELISSA**_." He screamed, facing the snow again. He muttered words of pain, and continued on, holding his ribs – he knew that Cranium would possess him soon. "Don't bother with me!" he screamed their way, making his own as he ran through the storm.

"Crystal!" he called clearly, rushing over to her. She lazily brought her head up, and tilted it slightly to the left. Crystal looked utterly confused and stumbled slightly as she leaned up properly against the rock.

"Lash?" He brought her to a standing point, and placed his hand into his jeans.

"I've come to give you something." She looked curiously at him, until he pulled out the gun.

"_What._" She said, bewildered that he would brandish her with something like this.

"It's…to shoot me."

**Ohh, a cliffy.**

**First one, right? Hope so. And maybe the last…I think. How was it? Good, I hope, cause the next chapter shouldn't be such a big deal to write. It's already written halfway into post-its. :Glances at wall for a second time: Wait…no it isn't.**

**:Pales:**

**Uhm…lemme just…go fix that. HAHAA. So. Review, my loves. If I don't get more than 4 **_**(FOUR. Rhymes with TOUR)**_** reviews, I won't update. Alrighty:Threatens:**

**I've worked hard for this story. And I've got a lot of readers. So, thank you.**


	17. Chapter 17

Hey everyone! Me again. Teehee. Here's the second half of the battle. Long chapter. Haha. Can you imagine how long it would be if I let it spread to just one?

Anyway. This chapter? Big. Long. Full of words. HAHAHAHAHA. I don't know why that's so funny to me. Whatever. Just…read it and appreciate the long hours that I spent on this.

Oh, and I didn't have ANY post-it's for this chapter.

_BUT THEY HELP, PEOPLE!_

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I own anything you're not familiar with from the movie.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

**Lash found her, slouched over a white rock in pain. "LASH!" he quickly turned to the voice, finding no one. In a flash, Mel let go of Will, and both turned visible. They were waiting for Crystal to give them a sign to move in. "Don't go!" He rolled his eyes - impatient - and ran towards Crystal. "Lash, you'll be in trouble again with it all!"**

"_SHUT UP, MELISSA_**." He screamed, facing the snow again. He muttered words of pain, and continued on, holding his ribs – he knew that Cranium would possess him soon. "Don't bother with me!" he screamed their way, making his own as he ran through the storm.**

"**Crystal!" he called clearly, rushing over to her. She lazily brought her head up, and tilted it slightly to the left. Crystal looked utterly confused and stumbled slightly as she leaned up properly against the rock.**

"**Lash?" He brought her to a standing point, and placed his hand into his jeans.**

"**I've come to give you something." She looked curious at him, until he pulled out the gun.**

"_**What.**_**" She said, bewildered that he would brandish her with something like this.**

"**It's…to shoot me."**

"What." She whispered, staring at the gun in his hands.

"It's…you need to shoot me." Her mouth dropped.

"_**ARE YOU CRAZY?**_" She screamed, and he took one hand and covered her mouth.

He waited for her eyes to calm down, before speaking again. "Love makes you do crazy things, Crystal." She nodded in agreement, and he lowered his hand.

"Yeah, I realized that – since you're telling me to shoot you."

"No – I meant that when Cranium is close to taking over my body completely – when he starts shaking in pain, doubling over – anything, Crystal. Shoot me. It's not going to _be_ me," He tried to explain, taking the hand he used to cover her mouth and placing it onto her waist. "– It'll be Cranium inside me, not…me." She stared at the gun again, and then lifted her face to his, her hands shaking.

"Lash…even if it weren't you – I couldn't do something like that." His forehead hit hers, and he closed his eyes.

"You have to, Crystal. It's the only way to finish him off." She shook her head, sliding her hand into the one holding the gun.

"I…Lash, the only time I'm good at with a gun, is at the range when I go with Dad." He nodded, and took his forehead off of hers.

"That's the whole reason why I'm telling you to do this." She lifted it up to her face as he slowly let it go, and she grimaced.

"That doesn't make anything better!" He kissed her suddenly, and he took her hand with the gun, sliding it into her pants. She shivered, breaking the liplock. "It's freezing."

"Compared to this?" he said, waving his hand towards the air. She gave a sad smile, and shook her head, smashing her face into his chest for a hug.

"I don't want to..." She whispered against his chest, hoping that he would rethink this.

His arms wrapped around her, and he kissed her forehead. "I trust you."

----

Dr. Cranium's hand wiped the air over the couple, separating them as they fell onto their stomachs, groaning in pain. "Ah, young love." He turned to Ms. Snow, who was fawning over every word he spoke. Cranium was glaring towards her. Crystal and Lash watched as she became ridged, standing straight and her arms at her sides. He turned towards Crystal as Lash tried to reach for her hand quickly, and laughed. Raising his left hand, an electrical blockage between them formed. Crystal looked at Lash in terror, who began pounding on the glass cage that now boxed him in.

"Oh, beautiful work -" He used his right hand to wave in Ms. Snow's way, and she fell to the ground, sliding away, screeching for her life.

Lash stood slowly, scowling as Crystal was lifted off the ground with another wave of Cranium's hand. Her blue eyes turned white - glazed over - and with a curl of his pointer finger towards himself, her body floated to Cranium. Lash slammed his leg against the glass, and Cranium smirked at his failed attempts, gripping Crystal's waist with one hand.

"It is indestructible, m'boy. His head bent back to get a good look at the thin body in his hands. "Now," he whispered seductively, leaning in close to Crystal's face. Her mind was unable to falter what was going on. "Let us see – why young Mr. Livingston here believes you are the best thing on this…planet." She blinked, and he held her closer, ignoring the loud banging of the glass from Lash. Cranium only smiled widely as he faced Lash and he bent down slightly to kiss Crystal on the mouth.

It was soft at first - sweet even – and then he wrapped his hand about her head, gripping some of her hair to push her into the kiss, leaving bruises on her lips. She didn't move at all – she couldn't – she was under a mild control by him. He let go of her hair, and his hand traced her arm as he let his hand slide down to her hip.

He cupped her cheek, trailing his tongue across her lip playfully, smirking as he heard Lash growl nearby. Lash watched in horror as his other hand that was resting on her hip had began stroking her entire side, gently thumbing over her stomach.

"_Lash?_" Lash jumped at the sound of her voice. "_What's going on? Where…where am I?_" He closed his eyes, opening them at the sight of the two of them in front of him. Closing them again, he heard a disgusted gasp, almost a retch.

"_I can't stop it, Crystal._" At that moment, Cranium released his lips from her, and Lash hunched his shoulders, his fists on the glass.

"I feel nothing." He frowned to Lash, who raised his head when the man spoke to him, a small smirk on his face. Cranium let go of Crystal, and walked towards the boy.

"It isn't love you feel for her, you -" A collapse was heard against the wind, and he saw Crystal on the snow, her eyes closed and calm, her dark brown hair whipping about like a madwoman's. Cranium smacked the glass in anger that Lash wasn't paying attention any longer, and the glass disappeared – making Lash stumbled onto the snow at Cranium's feet.

"I think it's time for our lovely Crystal to be deceased, hmm? Better to be beautiful and young than old and crusty?" He laughed, crouching down to roll Lash over and onto his back, his face concentrating in thought.

Lash scowled and paled, trying his best not to retort with a smartass comment. He groaned as Cranium stood tall again, and tried to reach Crystal before the older man did.

----

Layla bent down and watched as Ms. Snow came flying across the hard snow by the group's shield. Hearing a loud screech, some of the others peeked their heads out of the shield. "Mel, Will, was that Ms. Snow?" she asked, and they nodded.

"We're supposed to do something to her. Take the amulet." Layla looked confused as Warren stuck his head up from the ground.

"What's gunna happen?" he grunted, and Magenta smacked him up side the head.

"They've got to kick some ass, Warren." Zack laughed as Magenta was met with fiery hands, and she shot him a death glare. Ethan, behind Zack, melted in fear.

"Well, what do you have to do to get it?" They shrugged at the same time, and stood up as they heard the screeching fade.

"But we've gotta figure it out when we get there." Will spoke and Mel held out her hand, turning invisible before them all. Will quickly kissed Layla's cheek, and grasped the air for Mel's hand, turning invisible as well.

"Good luck!" Ethan cried out, and ducked back down, solidifying next to the fire.

--

"Where'd you think she went?" Will asked, his hand awkward in Mel's. She shrugged, and he nodded. They could see each other invisible as if they could still be seen.

"I'm thinking of a plan on how to get the amulet, more than where she is, actually." Her voice faded, and caught sight of shimmering silver. "Look! There!" She said excitedly, a smile across her face as she tried to race ahead, tugging Will's hand along with her.

"What is it?"

"Hair, I believe. And look!" She pointed, and he peered over with the angle her finger was at. "It's fur…IT'S SNOW!"

He scoffed to her jokingly. "Well, duh. I mean, c'mon. It's everywhere." She shot him a look, and he shut up.

"Oh, dear me." It called out, and the wind died down a bit. They stiffened at her voice, and Mel held up a finger to her lips to be quiet. Ms. Snow rolled onto her side, and faced the two teens, pausing before she tried to get to her feet. "Oh, this damned coat. Evil, fickle, bastard of a beast." Mel took a step towards her to get a glimpse of the amulet, and Will tried to grasp her arm in reasoning. She glared slightly his way, and he shivered. A crunching step stopped both of them, for Snow had lifted her head suddenly at the noise, and stretched her neck slightly to get a good look around her.

They darted behind a bush, and tried to cover most of their tracks with a brush of the snow. Mel straightened in her position, and let go of Will's hand. "I have an idea." He had ducked his head, and she continued to whisper. "I'll get out there first, okay? And then I'll make myself visible for her to freak out about – and then she'll try to attack me, but you'll…you'll come up from behind her, and then knock her down." He nodded; looking about slightly for a sign that Snow might have heard them.

"Where do I go to get around this?" She pointed to the row of bushes they sat near, and he nodded again.

She looked sincere as she turned invisible. "Ready for this?" He blinked, and began to crawl away around the bushes. "Will!" he turned around at her whisper.

"What?"

"Be careful?" He grunted lightly at her worried voice, and continued on. At the corner of his eye he watched snow crunch beneath invisible sneakers, Mel already ahead of him.

--

"You know, we should figure out how to get to help out." Zack said, sighing against the snow. Layla tilted her head to the side, frowning.

"True. But what could we do?" Magenta shrugged at her words, and Ethan kept staring into the fire. Warren had grunted, and they turned to look at him.

"Split up, maybe?" He muttered, his arms crossing over his chest in thought. Layla shook her head.

"In this weather? We'd never be able to get to one another if we needed help." She shivered, and crawled her way over to the fire.

"Groups, maybe?" Ethan whispered, not blinking as he kept staring into the flames. Magenta nodded to agree with him, and turned to Layla.

"We can't just sit here and wait for something to happen. Mel and Will – they're already on a mission. We could do something to help them, you know?" Zack said, leaning up against Magenta's shoulder. She looked off at him, but gave a small smile, using her left hand to stroke the back of his neck. Layla looked out into the snow, shaking her arms from the cold.

"Well I think we should." Ethan said, his eyes now on Layla's. She looked down at her hands.

"Then…then let's get into groups." She whispered, slowly getting to her feet. They looked up at her and hurriedly followed her movements, standing next to each other in a row. She watched them a moment, and then began tapping her finger on her lip. "Zack, you're coming with me." He pouted towards her, but she gave him a serious look. "We're not fooling around."

She looked at the last of them. Ethan shakingly raised his hand, and she looked at him. "I…I could stay here – keep a lookout or something." He swallowed hard, and put his hand down.

"But…Ethan," she looked around at the odd number of people standing around her. Warren shrugged, and she sighed. "Yeah, yeah, alright." She squinted her eyes against the cold air rushing towards her. "Uhm, Warren, you go on with Magenta," the other girl nodded, and all took one last glance at Ethan, waving goodbye.

"Good luck, you guys." He said, giving a small smile as he puddled.

--

"Hey, freak with the white hair!" Ms. Snow turned her head every which way at the voice, and her eyes went wide in fear.

"Who…who's there? Edward? Hello?" Mel turned visible beneath the woman's nose.

"Hello." She snarled, grabbing hold of the fur coat. The woman screamed, taking a step back to lift her arms, pointing a finger at her.

"You – you startled me, you little girl." She snarled, smirking as she brought down a blast of icy winds towards Mel. But Mel only took the wind, closing her eyes in pain as the ice brought more cuts to her face.

"NOW, WILL!" She screamed, and slowly brought her hands to Ms. Snow's waist, throwing her up into the air, waiting for Will to catch and drop her.

He flew in from behind, and grabbed a hold of her arms as she began to screech once more. "_YOU WILL UNHAND ME THIS INSTANT!_" Taking one look down at the ground, he found Mel making a motion with her own arms to drop her nearby. Groaning, he hovered a moment, and lifted her slightly, dropping her with a force. Her body fell a bit over 15 feet, and she hit the ground on her back. She started to scream in pain, calling for Dr. Cranium to help, but Mel snatched her hands into one of hers, growling in her ear.

"Shut up, bitch." Ms. Snow gasped at her, and tried her best to remove her hands from their hold. Mel glared long and hard as she squeezed them and the older woman began to screech louder. Mel broke her fingers. Will came up from behind and grabbed the amulet, pulling hard.

"That was easier than I thought it'd be."

The string hung loose in his fingers, and he lightly touched the teardrop pearl in his palm.

"It's slowing down…" He heard Mel whisper, and lifted his head to the sky. The wind stopped blowing ice and snow, and the two teens high fived each other, laughing as they deserted the villain. "Keep that…thing, safe, alright?" she whispered, covering her head with her hand as she felt a chunk of snow fall from a tree over them. He chuckled, and then pocketed the amulet.

----

Lash shook his head; the headache he was getting was growing at a fast pace.

"Stop it."

"No." He smiled, swinging Crystal in his arms. She was still unconscious. "I can do as I please, you stupid human."

"She's my daughter!" Lash nodded in agreement, getting to his feet as he held his head.

"She would have been my own if Mary had chosen me as her husband."

"Too bad." Stephen pouted, using a baby voice to tease the man.

"Will you two stop it! You're acting like children!" Lash growled, trying to reach across Cranium to grab Crystal from his clutches. Cranium's head turned his way, and he smiled.

"Ah, Lash. You're an able body again. It's been a -" his attention was interrupted as he looked to the calm air, the slowly falling snow. "What…what is this?" He carried Crystal off and away from the two others, and kept looking to the sky. "Emerald! You bitch!" he grumbled, snarling. "_EMERALD!"_

Lash's eyes swept the grounds, and found two figures coming their way, out of the way of Cranium's eyes. Mel and Will. He smirked, and saw the shimmering string hanging out of Will's pocket. Mel waved shortly, and then grasped Will's hand to make them both invisible. Lash turned quickly to Stephen, placing a finger to his lips to keep him quiet. He nodded in understandment, sighing in his bubble. He heard the sound of rushing footsteps, and looked that way.

"Lash, We beat her up, took the amulet." Mel whispered, as Cranium began to growl from no response from Ms Snow. Lash nodded, and looked to Crystal, dead asleep in the man's arms. "What's happened?"

He closed his eyes before speaking. "I got a headache. I gave the gun to -"

"_Gun?_" Will whispered, and Mel shot him a look.

"If you don't mind." His eyes narrowed, and Lash continued, whispering back to them. "I gave the gun to Crystal – it's in her pants, and we're all lucky that when Cranium kissed -"

"That bastard kissed her? Gross!"

"Will! Before I annihilate you _myself!_"

"Sorry Mel."

"- That when he kissed her, he didn't feel it." He scowled, and shook his head. "I just hope she wakes up soon. She been out for the past 10 minutes." Will and Mel shared a scared look invisibly, and Lash sighed. "Where are the others?"

"Haven't seen them. I think they were going to wait for Crystal to contact them -"

"We're here." Said a husky voice, and they turned to see Warren with a purple guinea pig in his front pocket.

"And feeling uncomfortable." Magenta said, and Warren kept a straight face. "Get a glimpse of Layla 'round here yet?" she whispered, and Lash shook his head.

"Well, she's around here with Zack." Warren muttered, and then looked off to the bushes. "See, there." Zack's glowing body had shined through the bushes, and they were crouched about 50 feet away from where Cranium was standing with Crystal.

Lash doubled over, and fell to the ground. Mel and Will immediately grasped Warren, and he too became invisible. "**BOY!**" Cranium called, turning around to Lash and walking back quickly.

"Sorry Lash!" Magenta whispered, her uninterested tone a bit higher than usual as they scampered away.

He groaned, holding his ribs once more. Turning on his side, he saw Cranium drop Crystal, her head shaking in the snow as she just woke up. Her hand reached up to the air in hope, and gracefully fell, it clashing against the white coldness.

----

My hair was in my face, and my cheek was against snow. "Not again." I whispered, feeling the numbness of my fingers. I opened my mouth slightly, and tasted something really gross. "Eugh. Essense of Cranium." Opening my eyes, I saw Lash wincing in pain as he starting rolling around on the ground, and I gasped. "No, no, please don't tell me…" my voice trailed to a whisper, and I bent myself over slightly, feeling the instant cold of the gun against my skin. Shuddering, I felt hands grasp my arms.

"Crys, you're awake."

"Mel? Where…?" I whispered, starting to be dragged away.

"Shut up, you'll get us all caught." Will whispered, swatting at my wrist.

"Guys! Over here!" Layla called out the lightest she could, and Zack peeked his head from the bush to wave us over.

"I, I need to watch," I said, wincing as I spoke. I didn't really _want_ to, but I was told I needed to do something.

"What's going to happen, Crys?" Magenta said, crawling out of Warren's pocket as they separated from Mel's hold, turning them visible. I looked around.

"Where's Ethan?" Layla gave a small smile.

"He's watching from afar. By the bus strip. He wanted to keep there and stay on guard, and I couldn't stop him."

"And plus, there was an odd number of people." Zack said quickly, and I gave a nod, turning to Magenta, who morphed back to her human form.

"I think that Cranium's going to try and get transferred into Lash before anything else happens." I cringed as we all heard Lash scream in pain, calling out for help. I squeezed my eyes closed, and a single tear fell from them. "I need to help him, guys." I whispered, standing up. They gave me a worried look, but nevertheless let me leave.

Stepping through the brush, I pushed the hair in my face away, a stern look on my face. Cranium saw me, and smiled widely, bringing out his arms as Lash rolled over for another scream. "Most horrible pain…" I whispered to myself, fingering my belt loop on my jeans. I closed my eyes as I felt the gun resting on my skin, and opened them slowly. "Dr. Cranium?" I called out, my nose twitching.

Both males looked at me.

_Oh. My. God._

How was I going to do this now? I looked over at Lash, who continued to roll around, and then Cranium closed his eyes, breathing deep.

"My dear Crystal. Is there something you should tell me?"

"About what?" I asked curiously, stopping my footing.

"Well, it seems that there's a gun in your pocket. Or are you just happy to see me?" His eyes were full of anger, and he reached out to grab my waist. I snickered.

"In that case, _Edward_, I'm, just," I tossed out my arms in an uncertain way. "Happy to see you." I smiled, and tried to keep that smile on my face as Lash began to sit up, a dazed look on his face, red eyes glistening.

"Oh, looky here, Crystal." He ignored my last words, and wrapped his other arm around my neck, taking his hand away from my waist. Slowly he crossed over, and turned so that both of us were staring at Lash. "You see how he is half of me?" I nodded, my eyes closed as I shivered.

"Lash…" I whispered, and Cranium smirked, his eyes dull.

"Oh, my dear. He will die – we all knew this." I brought my face to stare at Cranium. "But it is _you_ who will die first." My mouth turned up in a snarl. He gave a joyous laugh. "Yes, yes! And Lash will do the honors, young one." His finger traced my face, and I pulled away.

"Bastard." I whispered, the air catching my words and he smirked. At that moment, he doubled over, and collapsed onto the ground, his beady black eyes slowly turning a dull brown.

"It is _time_!" He cried, laughing as he grasped a handful of snow. I watched Lash stand up, smiling down at me. He picked Cranium up with a tiny bit of struggle, and his eyes glimmered, turning dark brown.

"Lash." I said, and he tossed Cranium over to the side, away from the two of us. He hit the ground with a 'thud', and I hugged him, shedding a tear.

"Change of plans, love." He whispered, holding me tight. "There's no need for the gun." I let go, smiling when I looked to him.

"Don't listen to him, Crystal!" I looked aside at Cranium, who was hunched over in pain, groaning. "I'm Lash!" I didn't see Lash's eyes shimmering red before he grabbed me away to hold me close.

I held my head in my hands, my face clearly in thought. One…one of them is lying. How come Lash hadn't told me this might have happened? _Did he really think I could have thought of that myself?_

"Crystal!" I turned around as my voice was heard, and Lash had placed his hands underneath my arms, clasping them at my waist, his head resting on my shoulder. Spencer was back! With Ethan in tow, along with Principal Powers jogging through the snow behind him. "I know how to figure it out!"

"How?" I called, and decided to shove Lash off, just in case it wasn't really him. Cranium groaned in pain in the corner, and his body began to squirm.

Spencer ran up to me, and pushed Lash far away from us. "Remember something that only he knows." I strained myself not to question his words, but he went on. "Like a birthday – yeah, remember what sticker I gave you for your birthday when you turned seven?" He searched my eyes, and they glistened with the thought in mind.

"Bo -"

"Don't say it aloud – you have to figure out who's who, sis." I nodded urgently, and I ushered Lash back towards me. He smiled, and Spencer gave him a weary look as we started to walk towards Cranium.

--

"What are they going to do?" Principal Powers asked, her arms crossed over her chest. Warren jumped up from the bush and took her hand, warming it up. She gave him a thankful smile, and Ethan turned to her as they all climbed into the bush.

"Figure out who's who."

"But, Lash is right there – and Cranium, he's over there!" she cried, looking utterly confused.

"No, heh, not really." Mel said, her voice a bit annoyed. She never really liked the Principal.

--

I tore my eyes away from Lash, and pulled my head to Cranium. "I need to ask you guys a question. It'll tell me if you're who you are." Lash smirked, and nodded. Cranium rolled into my feet, and gave me a look of worry. I breathed, my eyes trying to dart every which way but their own.

"Okay. On my seventh birthday, Spencer gave me a sticker. What did it say?"

Lash gave me a quizzical look, and looked away in thought. But immediately after I spoke, Cranium cried out.

"_Happy Birthday Booger!_"

"LASH!" I screeched, falling to my knees in front of the doctor.

"Shoot him." He whispered softly, and I nodded. Lash had grabbed me by my arms and lifted me high, into his arms.

"Crystal – he searched my memories, I know it. Please – just ask another question." I gave him a worried look, and nodded my head as he let me down.

"Alright…last year – during Homecoming." I looked to both parties, and Cranium looked back at me, dark brown eyes dulling. "What color dress did I wear?" Lash smiled.

"Blue."

"Black and white – your favorite colors." I glanced at Cranium, and scowled. I hugged Lash, and he smiled widely, kissing my cheek.

I lifted my hand to bring his head towards me, and I whispered softly into his ear as I slowly brought out the gun. Somehow I knew I was going to regret this. "Wrong."

_**BANG**_.

My hand began to shake as Lash stepped back, blood trickling out of his black shirt. The gun had dropped to the ground, and I brought my hands to my face in horror as Lash's had lowered to check the wound. With all my heart, I had tried to avoid his own, in fear that I would kill the Lash inside, battling Cranium.

But I missed my target. I hit the heart.

"Crystal." I heard a whisper; cries of shock echoing through the air behind me. I looked into his eyes as he staggered back, a look of hurt emotion stuck on his face. "Crystal…" My eyes closed, and I grabbed the roots of my hair.

"You're…you're not Lash." His hand reached out to me, and I opened my eyes, seeing that it was covered in blood. I choked on a sob, and I stepped closer, letting his hand trace my face. His eyes glistened with tears, and I saw that no more red stood in his eyes. I held tightly to his side, and I felt the warm blood from his fingertips fall onto my skin in streaks. My eyes closed again, and I shivered beneath his fingers. He began to fall.

"_I love you_." My eyes opened widely as I watched him fall, and I bent down to Cranium, who stopped moving. My hand went to his shoulder, and I tried to shake him.

"Lash?"

Time froze for me. I didn't see people begin to scramble from behind the bush. I didn't see my brother running towards me to grab my arms. I didn't see Warren try to get to everyone, a grimace on his face. I didn't see Layla curve her body beside Will, shedding tears at the scene unfolding. I didn't see Ethan melt beside the dumbstruck Principal. I didn't see Magenta lean her face into Zack's neck in sadness. I didn't see Mel fall to her knees beside them, her face in her hands.

----

Everything was faint, voices, crying. Lash didn't have an idea as to where he was anymore, only that it was warm and bright. He opened his eyes slowly, using his hand to shield them from the bright light. Slowly but surely, he began to breathe, and he had this sensation that he was naked. He groaned, and turned over on whatever he was lying on. He felt like someone watching him, and his eyes opened slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the light before looking around. Gazing down, he confirmed that he _was_ naked, and he was actually calm about it, seeing how he also found that he was alone. At once he realized where he was. On the floor of an abnormally bright room. Crystal's room.

"Hello, Lash."

He scrambled in fright at the voice, and turned his body around, quickly trying to cover himself with his hands. Standing in front of him was a beautiful young girl, smiling down at him. Her hand was held out, and he gave her a confused look. She wore a light blue church's robe, and stood before him barefoot. Self-consciously, he looked down at himself and then back up at her hand.

"It is all right, Lash," She said, her voice like a soft lullaby. "If you are afraid." Slowly she bent down, and gave him a small kiss on his forehead, a black robe appearing on his body. He quickly tied it around his waist and took her hand, standing next to her.

"Who, who are you?" he asked, and let his hand fall, staring at her with a calm expression. She sat on Crystal's bed, and smiled, her feet barely hitting the floor. Her hair was long and brown, glistening with strands of silver throughout. It was wavy, framing her heart-shaped pale face - and her periwinkle eyes were outstanding, shining beneath long black eyelashes. Her mouth opened slightly as she waved him over to sit with her and Lash nodded dumbly, looking to her full lips.

"I am God's right-hand angel, Faith." Her nose wiggled as she smiled at him, and her hand reached over to cover his. "I'm here to come and get you." His eyes squinted in confusion.

"What? Wait, I'm dead?" He exclaimed, opening the robe to look to the place Crystal shot Cranium. There was a small circular scar where his heart was not beating, and it was disappearing quickly. He saw at the corner of his eye a nod, and he looked down at the floor, hunched over. "No, no no." Faith placed her hand on his back, and began to rub it softly.

"As is Edward." She whispered, leaning her head down to catch his glance. "But I'd rather not say where he is." He lifted his head lightly, placing it into his hands as he moaned.

"I didn't _want_ to die, Faith."

"That happens a lot." She giggled, her left hand covering her mouth as she did. He turned her to with a glare.

"No, you don't understand," She stopped and looked at him, her expression changing from giggly to serious.

"Well, then tell me so I could understand." She said clearly, taking her hand away to stare at him. He leaned back onto the bed, taking a pillow and shoving his face into it, smelling Crystal's scent. His eyes watered against them, and he breathed a sigh before taking it off his face.

"I, just got new friends. A beautiful girl that I've come to love for a long time now, and a best friend that I've known since fourth grade." She nodded, and her eyes closed as she took a breath, opening her wide eyes once more. "I'm about to graduate high school, and I was going to get my own place." She nodded again, closing her eyes and taking another breath. He covered his face with his hands shortly, and blinked. "And I was thinking about asking her-" Faith's eyes widened with a smile, and she brushed her hair away from her face, interrupting his words.

"Who is the girl?" She asked quietly, and Lash looked at her for a moment, before sitting back up.

"She lives here." He whispered, waving his hand into the air.

"So that's where we are?"

"Yeah." He whispered, and stood up, crossing to the dresser. There stood a picture frame, and in it was a picture of himself and Crystal, smiling towards the camera in that room. Well, Crystal was smiling - Lash was kissing her cheek. He picked it up carefully, and reached with his arm to give it to Faith, who took it with a smile.

"She's beautiful." She whispered, and he sat back down as she set it aside on the comforter.

"Even more in person." He whispered back, bringing a hand up to his hair and clawing through it with habit. "But her being," he struggled with words. "Just her in general, it's just, perfect."

Faith huffed, her hands on her sides, closing her eyes slightly. "No one's perfect, boy." He smirked at her, and leaned back down onto the bed.

"You know what I mean." She nodded, and sighed, now focusing on the scar on his eye.

"Where'd you get that?" She whispered, not pointing to it. His fingers flew to his face and touched the skin, rubbing it softly.

"Cranium. Well, me, really." She gave him a confused look. "I scratched his face with a piece of mirror from my room when he was controlling me. This is what I get." She nodded a small frown on her face. Slowly she looked to the bedspread, and crawled up onto the bed entirely. She began to jump on the bed, and started to laugh.

"Oh, I haven't done this in so many years!" She continued to laugh, and Lash watched her happy face, full of no worry or sadness.

"How many?"

"Oh," she stopped, her feet trying to stay still on the bed. "Over a thousand years. Back then, they didn't have these types of beds. We didn't get very high." Lash smiled, chuckling until she spoke again. "That's how I got to Heaven, actually. I fell." She whispered, now falling into a sitting position, pointing to the side of her head. Lash looked at the spot, and his eyebrows furrowed at the sight. There was a giant gash, and Faith smiled at his look. "It's almost gone, really. 'Only about 5 years, more, Faith.' That's what God said before I came here." She sighed, a smile on her face. "He's so funny." Lash sat there, slightly uncomfortable at her words.

"How…how big was it before?" he asked, his hand tracing the seam on the comforter.

"Oh! It was really big, almost all of this side of my head was bashed open." His face paled, and she giggled. "No big deal." She looked into his eyes, and gave a small laugh.

"So." He spoke, his hands clasped together as he looked to his lap. "What's it like?"

"What is what like?"

"To…be dead." She smirked, and then giggled once.

"You should ask yourself that. _You _are – not just me." He shook his head.

"What I really mean, though," he hesitated, and she waited long. "Is, is what is it like up there?"

"Heaven? Boy, you can say it." He laughed slightly, and then looked up at her.

"Heaven. What's it like in Heaven." She gave him a knowing look.

"You won't truly know unless you're there, Lash." Her voice was calm, and it soothed his body. He closed his eyes slowly, and frowned.

"Well, what's it like for you? What'd be there for me?" She shrugged.

"I'm not really allowed to say, Lash." She placed a hand on his, and laughed. "And I'm not _here_ to talk about _me_. I'm here to see if you'd like to stay or come with me." Lash gave her a confused look, the gears in his brain clicking.

"Weren't you here in the beginning to take me away?" She nodded, crossing her arms.

"But God listened to your story. He thinks it's worth staying a while more for." His face was narrow.

"How long of a while?" She laughed, her arms uncrossing as she looked to the ceiling.

"Oh, Lash. You can't know _now_!" she pushed his arm lightly. "Silly boy." He turned to her fully, staring at her smiling face.

"I'd like to stay." He watched as she frowned slightly, shrugging her shoulders before smiling once more, her hand reaching over to hold his shoulder.

"Okay."

**How was that for the ending of the story?**

_**IM TOTALLY KIDDING. IT'S NOT OVER.**_

**It's just the end of Chapter Seventeen. And the battle, obviously.**

**Teehee. Lash died. I love him.**

**Just some...cool facts.**

**Faith started out as a middle-aged woman, but I went back to change a lot of things. She's now only about 7 or 8, but adding like, a few thousand years to her soul. She's pretty wise, but mostly a lovely little girl. Free spirit, even.**

**Some of the things in the beginning of that scene, that was some ideas taken from Harry Potter 7. So if you haven't read the book, I'm sorry that I gave a bit away!**

**But I hope that you review. I thought it did a pretty decent job.**

**My cat's sitting up top on the computer screen now. :sigh: stupid little one. [well, she's not little any more. She's like, 11 years old or something close to that. Haha. My fat cat.**

**I've written 10 pages for you all, my faithful readers.**

**And I truly hope you review. More than four, please! I've gone with a small amount for just, so long. I'd appreciate a little more. Can I, can I please? I'm not greedy:D I just love your opinions. I thrive for them. And I won't update if you don't respond. SO THERE.**

**Oh, and P.S. I'm not religious.**


	18. Chapter 18

Hey, everyone! I'm back with a new chapter. :does a dance: Oh, I can't wait to finish this story! I've got so many more ideas on the mind to post up – a few of you know what I'm talking about...Haha.

I'd like to thank the people who messaged me about the story. I'm gunna start counting those as reviews, too – they keep emailing me, telling me to update. So yeah, Here it is! Your updateee. This is all because of you. Thank yourselves.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I own anything you're not familiar with from the movie.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past**

"**What is what like?"**

"**To…be dead." She smirked, and then giggled once.**

"**You should ask yourself that. **_**You **_**are – not just me." He shook his head.**

"**What I really mean, though," he hesitated, and she waited long. "Is, is what is it like up there?"**

"**Heaven? Boy, you can say it." He laughed slightly, and then looked up at her.**

"**Heaven. What's it like in Heaven." She gave him a knowing look.**

"**You won't truly know unless you're there, Lash." Her voice was calm, and it soothed his body. He closed his eyes slowly, and frowned.**

"**Well, what's it like for you? What'd be there for me?" She shrugged.**

"**I'm not really allowed to say, Lash." She placed a hand on his, and laughed. "And I'm not **_**here**_** to talk about **_**me**_**. I'm here to see if you'd like to stay or come with me." Lash gave her a confused look, the gears in his brain clicking.**

"**Weren't you here in the beginning to take me away?" She nodded, crossing her arms.**

"**But God listened to your story. He thinks it's worth staying a while more for." His face was narrow.**

"**How long of a while?" She laughed, her arms uncrossing as she looked to the ceiling. **

"**Oh, Lash. You can't know **_**now**_**!" she pushed his arm lightly. "Silly boy." He turned to her fully, staring at her smiling face.**

"**I'd like to stay." He watched as she frowned slightly, shrugging her shoulders before smiling once more, her hand reaching over to hold his shoulder.**

"**Okay."**

**----**

"Don't touch him!" I screeched, the EMTs racing forth towards Lash's unmoving body. Cranium's body had stopped moving, but something in my head told me that Lash was back to himself, that he was okay. I didn't want to leave him.

"Please, miss – he has no pulse," I yelped helplessly, and Mel tried to pull me away from Lash, but I snarled at her, clawing my way away from her hands.

"Let me go, Melissa!"

"We must place him in the bag." One of the EMTs had cried, and I growled.

"NO!" I burst into tears as Mel let me go, and I collapsed onto Lash's stiff figure. "Please, no…"

My brother stepped forward in front of the three EMTs in front of me. "Let her do what she wishes."

"But sir! This boy – he is dead!" I burst into another fit of tears as I heard these words. No – no it can't be true. Lash can't be dead. I wrapped my arms around his neck and sat him up, my head in his collarbone as I wept.

"Lash – please." I bawled, and my voice cracked as I silenced, feeling the gun under my kneecap. My lips caressed his cold skin as I reached for it, and I released one arm from his neck.

"Miss, he is -" I ripped it from beneath me, a scowl on my face as I pointed it at the men.

"Take him to the hospital." I whispered, cocking the gun and readying it at the man closest to me. "I want him to have -"

"Crystal Skye put that goddamn gun DOWN!" I gasped as I heard my father's voice, and my head wheeled around to face him.

"Dad?" Spencer's quick moves had taken the gun from my hands, and I squeaked, my position in Lash's lap stiffening. "DAD!" I cried, seeing that he held my sleeping mother in his arms. Spencer had given the gun to Mel, who held it tightly in her hands.

"Crystal what's gotten into yo -" I watched his eyes change from anger to sympathy, looking over at Lash. And I didn't truly understand – Lash was still alive – it was just hard to wake him up. That's all.

"Dad, how – how's Mom?" The EMTs were getting impatient, and I glared their way as their hands went for my arms to lift me away from my boyfriend. "Get away from me, you assholes." I sneered at them, and my face scrunched up in hate at them.

"Crys…" Layla's calm voice was heard from the line of people standing behind the EMTs. I whipped my head around and held tightly to Lash's neck, and she crouched down beside us, a small smile on her face. "How about we get Lash a hospital room, and he can stay there until he's all right?" I stared at her long and hard, trying to unveil any lie that she might have come up with. There was none.

Slowly I nodded my head, and the EMTs sighed, their hands cold and frozen. "But…but I want to stay with him." Layla only nodded away like me, and she stretched out her hand to take my own. I gave her a short glance before kissing Lash's forehead, slowly setting him down in the snow so the EMTs could take him away to the hospital. I took her hand and we stood tall, the others stepping forwards to wrap their arms around me.

"Don't worry, Crystal – he'll be okay." Ethan whispered, and I placed a hand on his head with a small smile, thankful that at least one person thought that he was still alive. He just – had to be. It wouldn't be right without him.

"Crys," I turned around in my circle of friends to see Will, who was frowning. "He'll be okay. We know you – you know him. He'll be fine." His whisper helped me and I cried another set of tears, ringing my arms around his neck.

"Ugh, Layla. You totally deserve this kid." I laughed to myself, and let him go, turning on the others in the circle.

"Crystal – they're loading him up." My father's voice called, and the circle was destroyed, and I stepped out smoothly. "We'll see you at the hospital, my baby girl." He walked up to me with a strong grasp on my mother's body, bending down to kiss my forehead. "You did good, Crysy."

I climbed into the back of the ambulance, my cold hand in Lash's own, the doors slamming shut.

--

"Do you think she'll be okay when she realizes he's gone?" Warren's deep voice said, and Mel hit his stomach bravely.

"She's already okay." She assured him, and she shook her head as they listened to the siren of the ambulance fly off the school. "She's already okay."

"Yes, well, we'll just have to see about that." Principal Powers said, walking up behind the group with her arms crossed over her chest. Mel scowled at the woman.

"_SEE? THIS IS WHY I DON'T LIKE HER!"_ She screamed, the gun in her hands crushed as they set off to the bus strip, getting onto Ron's bus.

-

It was quiet for minutes on end, until Magenta spoke up.

"How will we explain all this to his _parents_?" The bus got even quieter.

----

They wheeled the two of us into our own little hospital room, and I had stopped crying after a while. I spent my time gripping Lash's shirt, trying to squeeze out the tears that were splashing onto them, as well as trying to whisper words to him. It was heartbreaking, knowing that he was there, he just wasn't responding. I knew he was okay. I just knew, and that's why I was here. That's why I was here and not in the waiting room with the rest of them. That's why I was here and not anywhere _but_ here.

"It's going to be okay, Lash." I whimpered, my right hand crushed beneath his stone cold left, my chin on his chest as I stared blankly at his calm face, his closed eyes. "You're going to be alright. I'm not letting anything happen to you – I promise." I dug my cheek into his chest now, trying to hear his heartbeat flutter against my face. I held my breath, fearing the fact that it wasn't. I couldn't stop the tears.

But he was alive. I knew that. Just, somehow his heart wasn't working right. I shut my eyes, lifting myself up on his body and crushing my nose into his neck, shoving my face up into the crook and gasping out a sob. My lips hit his neck and I squinted my eyes as they rested against his shaggy hair, breathing out deeply.

Using my left hand, I cupped his chin and stroked softly with my thumb, wishing he could move against me, let me know that he was listening to my cries.

----

Layla had her hand to her forehead, leaning on the armchair in the waiting room. It was empty of anyone else, considering the fact that it was well into the night. Will was on the floor in front of her, his hands behind his head as his eyes were closed, sleeping. Magenta was sitting next to Layla, her hands in her lap as she watched Zack roll around uncomfortably in the two chairs he connected together to sleep on. Speed was grumbling against a pillar, his arms crossed, worry filling his face. Mel was cross-legged in a large chair, hunched over with her hand over her stomach. And Warren was reading one of the lame medical magazines from the table beside him.

"What do you think's going on?" Zack asked into the air, and Ethan, who was tapping his foot against a table in front of him, shrugged his shoulders.

"Iono, Zack, but you should sleep. It's late."

"I'm hungry…" Mel whispered, a loud growl coming from her as she blushed. Ethan walked away, and Magenta watched him enter the nurse's station.

"Where are you -" The lights went out. Ethan walked back, a small smile on his face.

"Go to sleep." He whispered, shuffling his feet as he collapsed into a chair beside Warren. The leather-bound boy grunted towards the Popsicle, and removed his hand from the magazine, lighting it so that he could read it in the dark.

There was another grumble in the darkness. "I could go for a Pop-tart." Mel groaned, and there was a female sigh from the other side of the room. Zack began to glow, and he sat up from his chairs.

"What time is it, really?" There was a jingle of a watch.

"2:15, Zack." Layla whispered, and he sat up, facing Mel, whose stomach growled once again.

"…Or a rare steak burger and fries…" Clearly Mel hadn't taken her amount of blood that day.

"C'mon, Mel, I think there's a vending machine down Crystal's hall." Zack called, standing up and walking over to her. She gave him a thankful smile, and followed him to the corridor.

"Anyone else want something?"

There was a chorus of 'no's, and they sighed, making their way past two gossiping nurses in front of Crystal's room.

----

The woman peered into the room again.

"I'm telling you, Crista, that girl is hugging a dead boy! And she won't leave him!" The woman called Crista rolled her eyes at the other nurse.

"Oh, please, calm yourself." She peered through the blinds at the couple. "I'm sure it hasn't come to that."

The other woman rolled her own eyes, and then gave a shocked gasp as Crista entered the room with a smile on her face.

"What are you doing?" She cried a whisper out, watching in horror as the girl crept closer.

"Leave, Millie." The girl called Millie 'harrumphed' and shut the door quietly.

Crista approached the girl on the bed. "Hello." Crystal gasped at the new person in the room.

"Get away." She growled, holding Lash a bit tighter.

"Now I don't think that that's the right thing to say, deary." Crystal gazed at the woman in front of her. "I'm here to check up on you two."

"You're just here to mock me, say that Lash is dead and I need to give him up." She scowled. "You're just like the rest of them." Crista only smiled, shaking her head.

"No, little one."

--

Little one? I took moments of time to stare at the woman in front of me. She could only be about 21 or 22. If I was little, so wasn't this woman. But then again, me and Lash always acted British whenever we said 'love' to each other, so there must be young people acting as if they were much older, right?

"Then what are you doing here?"

"To check up on you two, of course! Why I just told you!" I glared at the woman, a stiff look on my face. A glance to her nametag and I scrunched up my nose. Crista ignored the look and took a step towards the bed. I tried with all of my might to not sit up and hiss at the nurse to go away. I looked into her berry blue eyes as she smiled to herself. "He looks so peaceful." She whispered, and looked to me with a smile on her face. "May I?"

I looked to the woman who continued to smile. "Why?" the woman scoffed, rolling her eyes as she placed her hand on her hips. Heels clicked away from the room, and I realized that the woman Crista was talking to moments before had walked away, clearly bored.

"His hair is in his eyes." She whispered, and raised her hand to offer to move it. I took moments on end to stare at the woman, find any sign of a joke that she was going to make fun of me for hugging my 'possibly-dead' boyfriend. There was none.

Maybe, I thought, opening my eyes wide to glance into the woman's mind.

_A brick wall._ Crista gave me a look of slight impatience, and I finally nodded. Slowly the nurse placed her hand onto Lash's hair, removing the shagginess from his eyes. I had moved my head slightly as I felt Crista's hand on my own head, and the woman gave a sigh as she kept it there.

"What are yo -" A bright blue light entered the room, and I blacked out completely.

--

"Alrighty, Lash, let's wakey wakey now." She whispered, shaking his hair to try and get his eyes to open. Nothing. She sighed, and then rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Lash, I haven't gotten all day!" She whispered, a worried look on her face as she tapped his cheek lightly, trying to rid him of unconsciousness.

"This is so stupid." She grumbled, her eyes closing as her fists curled up, a breath releasing from her mouth. "Alright, geesh. Fine."

In a swift move she had taken his shoulders and began to shake him. "C'mon, Lash," she grumbled, continuing her shaking. "Wake up, you stupid boy! You've got a life to live!" She waited a moment to see if there was a reaction, but as she let his shoulders go, she sighed a grumble of frustration. The girl growled and stared up to the dark ceiling, her hands releasing a grip on her own fingers. "You're bugging me, Lash." She groaned, and then turned her head back to Lash's still form, a determined look on her face. Quickly she ripped the nurse's cap off her head and swatted his face with it. Nothing. She mumbled out a noise of anger.

"LASH!" she cried, shocked at how loud her voice was, and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Whoops. Her mind quickly scanned through Crystal's, and then gasped. She was going to wake up very soon. "Oh will you come on? I can't be here much longer! God said that I have to get out of this body pronto – this nurse is sick and in a hospital some miles away – but I'll make sure she's alrig -"

A small smile crossed over her face.

"Oh – of course! Why didn't I think of it before?!" she whispered, leaning down to Lash's ear, whispering words into it with a giggle. Yet nothing happened, as she stood straight again. She hesitated, and then bent down once more to whisper one more sentence to his mind. Her mouth opened in a squeal as she heard arms rustling, and she took a step back to see Lash wrap his arms tightly around Crystal's unconscious form.

"Thank you, sweet little one." She murmured, her hand on her heart as she bent down to kiss his and her foreheads, skipping out of the room, making little giggles as she whispered two words repeatedly.

"Five years, five years!"

----

I breathed in, my lips practically glued to Lash's collarbone. I felt Lash's arms around me, the absence of Crista the nurse in the air. I groaned as I thought that she might have been the one to wrap his arms around me, and I sighed into his neck, my eyes closed shut.

Waitaminute. He's warm. His neck - it's warm! I shook my head. No, it couldn't be. It was probably my breath on the spot the entire time. I pressed my lips to his neck slowly, and felt something beneath the skin pulse deeply.

A pulse?!

"Ohmigod." I whispered, feeling Lash's arms tighten their grip around me. "Oh my god, Lash!" I crawled on top of him as his eyes opened, a smile creeping onto his face as he saw me. I bent down and attacked his face with my mouth, kissing his forehead, his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, his chin, his eyes, his mouth. Anything I could reach I kissed. And I cried, too. Every kiss I planted on his face there were a few lone tears that lingered. Pulling away to look at him he took the chance to pull me back down, rolling me onto my side in a pace that even surprised me – I haven't seen him move this fast in weeks.

His right hand rested against my hip as he kissed me hard, and I pushed against him, not wanting any space to be between us. With his left hand he managed to get it combed into the hair pressing against the pillow beneath me, gripping me even closer with a light tug on it. I didn't want to let him go.

"I love you."

----

The group heard the screech of Crystal, and immediately jumped out of their seats, jittery and shocked. But the first one to recollect themselves and lead the way towards her room was Speed, and he was obviously the first one at the door.

"Crystal, you – Lash!" The rest of the group came speeding right up to the fatter man, cries of shock. "Lash you're…" Magenta heard Speed stop talking, and peeked her head inside, a large smile on her face.

"Making out with your girlfriend." At her words, Lash lifted two fingers from Crystal's hip, making note that the rest of the group was there, that he knew. But he didn't want to let go of Crystal. Not now – not ever.

Warren ran in behind Mel, who smacked his stomach for the second time that night with a smirk. "Told you he was going to be okay."

He shook his head, slightly confused, a slight smirk on his face. "No, you told me _she_ was going to be alright. Nothing about Lash." She glared at him, becoming silent as the smirk on her face left her eyes. Layla smiled from ear to ear.

"C'mon, guys, give'em some time together."

----

The room was silent, the group leaving us together and alone. The only sound of the room, though, was of our breathing. It was peaceful, and I kissed Lash softly, running a hand through his shaggy hair. His eyes watched me move, and I could only smile at him.

"People kept thinking you died."

"Well I did." My hand paused in his hair. I noticed that his scars were gone - even the one upon his eye. He nodded, and I began to stroke through it again as I started to speak.

"I didn't want to believe that."

"I know – and it was a good thing, too. Because if you didn't make them bring me here, I'd probably be in the morgue right now, freaking out in some little box-"

"Don't." He stopped, seeing the fear in my eyes. I couldn't – I didn't think I could ever imagine him in the morgue so early into his life. Not now.

"But I was dead." I nodded my head and he kissed the side of my lips. "And now I'm your resurrected boyfriend." He chuckled, holding me close. "But when Faith came to take me away I talked to her about what it was like here. With you. With everyone."

"Who's Faith?"

"She's apparently God's right-hand angel." I tilted my head. "And, she was here tonight."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she took Crista's body to get to us."

"She possessed another person?" He chuckled, but laughed freely as he noticed my wide eyes. "Whoa."

"She's a cutie." I gaped my mouth at him, unable to even comprehend what he just said. He laughed at my expression. "Crys, Faith, when she was alive, she was like, 7."

"Oh." I nuzzled my head into his neck as he went on. "So I don't have to worry about any dead girls chasing after you." He laughed and I smiled, pecking his neck once.

"No, you don't." He held me tighter, and I sighed to myself, my eyes closing against his skin.

"So I was wrong all along." I moped, my fingers tracing his chin as he shivered beneath my touch.

"About what?"

"You being alive this whole time." I looked up into his hair and frowned. "I was convinced that you were still alive at Sky High, and apparently I was wrong."

"Well let's not get back to that subject, Crystal, cause you'll just end up in more tears at the mention of me in a morgue." I laughed once, and we sat up, my arms clinging around his neck as he bent low to what I thought was a kiss.

But instead his mouth covered my nose, and I stiffened beneath it, lost and confused. I felt like an animal with a bag over its head, thinking that it was lights out for me. And then he did the worst – he blew through his mouth and laughed at me when I spazzed out, shrieking.

"Gah!" I cried out, smacking his shoulder as I wiggled my nose to collect myself.

"Oh, God, I haven't done that in _years_." Lash roared, rolling onto his back as he ducked away from my swatting hands.

"Geesh, Lash, don't make yourself sound so old, why don't you." He only snickered, pulling me on top of him and giving me a gentle kiss.

"I'd rather be young and with you than old and deceased. Or young and deceased, actually." My arms held his head in place as he chuckled, and I kissed his forehead softly.

"Me too, babe – me too."

----

"When do you think they'll come out?" Ethan asked, and Magenta snickered.

"When they're done having sex," She rolled her eyes. "Iono, Ethan." Speed gave the girl a glare that made even Warren shiver in fear, and she shut up. She stuck her tongue out at the fat one and crossed her arms, smirking her way over at Zack.

"They're not doing it, Speed – I know Crystal."

"Yeah, I know her too, Layla – and with the fucking hormones on **that** girl, I wouldn't be surprised if she got pregnant toni-"

"Shut up! Both of you!" Speed roared, pointing his fingers at Mel and Layla, a stern, evil look plastered on his face as their faces bounced back slightly, shock written across their foreheads.

"What's this about me being pregnant?" Speed hunched his shoulders and sighed in relief at his sister and best friend coming out from the hall, smiles on both of their faces.

"Cause I'm sure that could be arranged." A distinct smack of the back of a head was heard, and Lash chuckled at his girlfriend. "I'm just joking, Crys."

Layla smiled and Will took her fingers gently as they both stood up, Mel coming to a stand with a smirk on her face, loving the show that was coming along right in front of her.

"So – when can we leave?"

"Now, if you want." Lash offered, and took Crystal's hand. He leaned down to kiss her gently, and they heard a grumble, turning their heads towards the group in front of them.

Mel lifted her hands up to her neck and shrugged. "Wasn't me." Another grumble.

"Warren, are you suggesting that you're hungry?" Crystal smirked, lifting her hand towards the darker boy in the room. Self-consciously his left hand touched his stomach and the group held back giggles. He sighed in annoyance, but nevertheless nodded.

"Haven't eaten since lunch yesterday." He mumbled, and Speed laughed.

"Does anyone know where we could get food this late?"

"I'm sure that they've got an Olive Garden open this late…" Zack wondered aloud, and Crystal pounced on the bright boy, her hands on his shoulders as her eyes opened wide.

"Someone actually has that place _open _this late into the night?" Lash snickered as he watched Will effortlessly pick her up and place her to a stand, holding one of her shoulders as he looked closely at her.

"Well I'm sure that if you explain to them this situation, they'll gladly present you with food." Crystal gave an excited noise; echoing Mel's own.

Lash crossed the room over to her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, a smile on her face. "Didja hear that, Lash? Olive Garden – open late!" He kissed her hard, ignoring the people around them, slamming her against the pillar Speed stood against only minutes before. With one swift action he grabbed her legs and wrapped them around his hips, a smile on his face as she replied eagerly.

"Oookay, then. Olive Garden it is…" Ethan muttered, turning his face away from the couple, towards Magenta and Zack, yet had to close his eyes once he noticed that they were also kissing, yet not so fiercely. "Guys…?" He asked, his left eye opening towards Mel, who just bent over in laughter, her fingers being held tightly by a dark, fiery hand.

----

"…And so he was resurrected and then Warren-" I pointed to the boy with black hair and a grumbling tummy. "He got hungry, and so then we thought that it'd be nice – oh who am I kidding – it'd be _amazing_ to come here and -" The short, fat man who opened the door put a hand up to stop my words, and then waved us in.

"Anyone who can come up with a story like that, may always be welcome here." He chuckled lightly, turning on a light to lift the atmosphere.

We found out that the chubby short man was the owner of the restaurant, with room and board on the hidden second floor. He was also the cook, and so I got kinda…overexcited once I saw the man come towards the door with a glare in his eyes. I knew what to say.

The ten of us were seated in our own area, taking up about 3 different tables. At one, sat me, Lash, and Speed. The next table had Magenta, Zack, Mel and Warren, with the final table having Layla, Will and Ethan.

I seriously, could not stop smiling. I mean who would? Olive Garden at 3 A.M.? I don't think so!

Spencer got kinda worried about me and Lash actually having sex. He suffered a silence as me and Lash started to stare at him, his hand flying to his forehead in frustration.

Lash smirked as he put a hand on the table, making my brother look up at him. "I promise, that I'll not touch her till she's legal. Alright?" My fist connected with his leg, and he almost jumped. Spencer got up to go to the bathroom with Ethan and Zack, and I turned to my boyfriend.

"You're going to make me wait that long?" I whispered, and he kissed me against the cushioned seat.

"I said that I wouldn't touch you till you're legal. I didn't say anything about you touching _me._" The way he said that made me want to burst out laughing.

So of course, I did exactly that.

"That doesn't really make any sense!" I cried, leaning my head against his shoulder as I burst into another fit. But then the breadsticks came, and I calmed down immediately. Spencer came back to the table in an instant, grabbing the other table's breadsticks and stuffing them onto our table.

As in competition, Mel stood up and waltzed over to our table, snatching a basket back and walking away. "Scuse," she said, smirking as she walked away. Lash paled as he saw the look on my face.

"Oh no you di-in't, Melissa Sims." I stood up on the seat and stepped over a weary Lash to jump onto the carpet floor. Mel turned around to meet me with a wide smirk on her face. "Give'em back."

"No." Layla was the only one who gasped. The three tables became silent with that one word, and the entire area watched us. "I'd rather not."

"And why is that?" I growled, and Lash tried to wrap his arms around my waist from behind, bringing me closer to him. "Resurrection won't stop me, Lash, lemme go. LEMME AT HER!" I ran after her and she screamed in laughter, running down the aisles of tables and booths. The breadstick basket was under her arm as she stuffed a thick one into her mouth and snickered as she rounded a corner, her curly brown hair flouncing against the wind that she created as she ran away.

"Do you think we should interrupt?" Ethan asked to Mario, the owner of the restaurant, as he walked in past the kitchen door.

"Well if the stretchy boy does anything to trip the girl in the lead, the two will both fall." He lifted his head to speak out to Lash. "I don't believe it's a good idea, my boy!" Lash put his readied arm down and then sighed, wrinkling his nose.

I took a jump over by the wall when Mel took another turn down an aisle, and then pounced on top of her. "Hand'em over, bitch!" I growled, and we both laughed loudly.

"Can't we split them?" She asked breathlessly, getting to her feet right along side me. The basket lay on the floor; the breadsticks still inside and in tact. I nodded once, my hands on my hips.

"90:10."

"And I get the 90, so, yes." I mouthed a fish expression, and the group behind us laughed.

"Uh, no." She smirked, and then I read her mind clearly.

"_Then what, my dear Crysy."_

_"60:40."_

_"70:30."_

_"UGH, MEL!"_ I stomped my foot, and the group had jumped at the surprising action. They didn't know that we were already talking. "Fine! 50:50!"

She stuck out her hand, and I smiled. "Thank you, it's been a pleasure." She picked up the breadsticks from the floor after we shook on it, and then we walked back to the tables, our hips practically connected as we laughed.

"So who's counting them out?" Spencer asked out loud, and I looked to Mel, whose hands were playing with the breadstick that was in her mouth earlier on.

"Uh, you can, Spence. I trust that you won't eat any? Oh, and count the one Mel's eaten already." Mel shrugged, unable to fight back. I sat down next to Lash, who then promptly picked me up and placed me in his lap, kissing the right side of my neck and shoulder as Spence collected the breadsticks onto one plate to count them.

"I love you," he whispered softly into my ear, and I shivered, turning my body towards him and kissing him gently. The world around us stopped and it felt way better than it's ever felt before.

"You have the weirdest timing to say that." He chuckled.

"Can't help it – it's true."

He kissed me deeply, bending me back and practically onto the floor, but I took a grip on his neck and he held me against his chest. It didn't feel as comfortable as another position would, but my brother was sitting right in front of us, and I didn't think it'd have been a great sight to see. His sister full on making out with his best friend. Nu-uh. Not planning on doing it right in front of Spencer. So I released my lips from his, and sighed, seeing the smirk on his face as he placed me back onto his lap, his arms crossing over my stomach and tapping my thigh playfully.

He chuckled.

"What is it?"

"Even though I died tonight, I think it's the best night of my life."

"So far."

**Alright everyone! LASH IS ALIVE:D Teehee, oh yay.**

**Anyway. Review this! Since threatening **_**sort of **_**works, I'll have a go at it again. So here it is: This chapter, I'm going for five. **_**FIVE**_**, everyone! Or I won't post up the next chapter! I accept messages as reviews, too, now. lol - i've gotten about 3 that way.**

**And before you ask me where the hell Lash's parents were, or where Crystal and Speed's parents were, lemme just say now – I don't know. And I didn't think it was it was relatively important. It would have caused me stress to think of what **_**fourteen people**_** would be saying or doing. Too much. That's it. That's why.**


	19. Chapter 19

Hey, everyone! This chapter's a bit shorter than usual, I guess, but that's only because I've got a bit more planned for our characters. Yep – more than just a few chapters, really. Maybe…two. And yes, I'm sure about this. But we're getting there. I swear. Haha.

You're probably thinking something along the lines of, "HEIDI YOU _SUCK_!"

Cause I do. O.o haha. ICK.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I own anything you're not familiar with from the movie.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

**Past.**

"**I love you," he whispered softly into my ear, and I shivered, turning my body towards him and kissing him gently. The world around us stopped and it felt way better than it's ever felt before.**

**"You have the weirdest timing to say that." He chuckled.**

**"Can't help it – it's true."**

**He kissed me deeply, bending me back and practically onto the floor, but I took a grip on his neck and he held me against his chest. It didn't feel as comfortable as another position would, but my brother was sitting right in front of us, and I didn't think it'd have been a great sight to see: his sister full on making out with his best friend. Nu-uh. Not planning on doing it right in front of Spencer. So I released my lips from his, and sighed, seeing the smirk on his face as he placed me back onto his lap, his arms crossing over my stomach and tapping my thigh playfully. **

**He chuckled.**

**"What is it?"**

**"Even though I died tonight, I think it's the best night of my life."**

**"So far."**

**-**

School's gone pretty quickly now, and Lash and my brother are finally graduating; yet they get to skip most of the rest of the month. It's sort of lonely without them, but the sidekicks all around the school are a bit happy, skipping down the corridors. In the bottom of my heart, I wished that they weren't so cheerful. That Lash and Spencer would just burst through the cafeteria doors and dunk a few freshmen into the trashcans. But then I have to look to the group of people sitting across from me, sitting beside me, and I could only smile.

But I can't help missing those random points in the cafeteria where Lash would come out of nowhere to kiss me.

He sent me a text this morning. He said that he had something to tell me, something pretty interesting. And I scowled against the bus stop in the fog – knowing that I would be caught up in thinking of what that interesting thing was going to be about, instead of my work.

"Graduation's coming up soon." Layla whispered to me, picking at her salad. Mel sat beside her, picking her teeth with a long nail as she looked on. I nodded gravely.

"And to think that I'll be without him for two years. Everyday."

Warren snickered at my mopey state. "What, no love for Warren?"

"We still have another year with you, Warren, you bastard." Magenta said, smacking down her tray of food. It was Mel's turn to snicker. I sighed, hitting my head with my hand. I paled at Warren's amused expression.

"You."

"Me?"

"You! You know something I don't!" Warren put up his hands in defense.

"I never said I did." I narrowed my eyes. "Don't accuse."

"This isn't helping." I spoke, pulling out my cellphone again. Typing quickly, I looked around to see if Coach Boomer was looking. Like regular schools, electronics were not permitted.

"_Lash, thx 4 makin me feel so worried. ur giddy, & im nervous. Please tell me that u didn't steal a car. Just, sumthin."_

Mel snatched the phone from underneath the table. "You never write like this, Crys." I groaned, taking it back.

"Yeah, well, I'm nervous. And I could get caught with this damned thing." I whispered, sending the message and tucking the phone back into my pocket. Layla gave me a sympathetic smile. In only 15 seconds of shaking my leg, eating my buffalo salad, my phone rang. Loudly. "Ah!" I cried out, hearing the ringtone shake my entire thigh. It tickled as it vibrated along with the beat, and I shivered, snatching it up, the ringtone becoming clearer across the table. I blushed immensely at the lyrics.

**"**_**Imma teach you how to scream my name, never gunna get away from me…"**_

"Lash, you changed my ringtone again?" I could only hear his chuckle as I pressed the phone to my ear. It sent shivers down my spine, and I felt the blush on my cheeks get redder. "I'm at lunch, what are you calling me for?" Not that I don't ever mind hearing your voice…

"_I just wanted to tell you it's nothing to worry about. And no, I didn't steal a car – but thanks for the idea._" His voice was muffled as he took his mouth away from the mic. "_Hey, Speed, wanna go steal a car tomorrow?_"

"Lash!"

"_I'm only kidding, love. Just don't be so worried. I'll pick you up from the stop today_." I looked around the table, which was now covered with my friends.

"Bye Lash."

"_Aww, no love?_"I blushed.

"I'm changing my ringtone." He gave a low laugh.

"_I love you Crystal_."

I shivered against the table, avoiding the eyes of my friends. "I love you too Lash." We hung up.

"AWWWWWWW!" Mel cried, making everyone in the room turn to us. "CRYSTAL LOVES LASH!" I sunk low into my seat. If my face wasn't a tomato, then I don't know what was.

"Be quiet, Mel." I moaned, closing my eyes against Ethan's shoulder.

----

Lash slouched against the couch with a smirk on his face. Speed chuckled at his friend's expression. "What's going on?"

"I changed her ringtone and she got embarrassed."

"To what?" Lash laughed heavily, his head tilting back before he hiccuped.

"Tap That."

Speed snickered as he opened the fridge to find leftovers. "At the lunchtable?"

"At the lunchtable." Lash said, nodding his head.

"That's priceless shit right there."

"And I'm the one who dishes it out."

----

"What's the big news, you think?" Layla asked, sitting next to me on the bus. I sighed, shrugging, my head lowering to stare at my lap.

"Well it's nothing to worry about, so in Lash's eyes…I have no clue. He can be so unpredictable. And it bugs me." Layla shrugged, running a hand through her hair as she gazed out the window.

"You shouldn't worry, Crys. I'm sure whatever it is, is perfectly okay." I sighed, nodding my head.

"You're probably right." She stood up at her stop, and I waved to her as she exited the bus. Slowly I watched Will and Zack follow, smiles on their faces.

--

I stumbled my way off the bus, smirking as I saw Lash with his arms wide open, a smile on his face. "Hey babe." I whispered, jumping into his hold and kissing his cheek. He took a step back as he nuzzled his face into my hair, and I smirked as I kept this in my head, knowing that he had missed me.

"Missed you."

Yep – told you.

I snorted as I placed myself back down, giving him a quick kiss on the mouth. "What is this big news, now?" He gave me an awkward look, and I gasped. "You didn't impregnate someone, did you?"

"Crystal, I said it was big news, not disgusting news." He rolled his eyes as he clasped a hand over my own. Instead of walking down the street towards home, he led me across the road, smirking at my confused face. We took a while just walking in silence, and it bothered me. This silence wasn't exactly natural. And Lash was leading me into the main roads of Maxville, so I got even more confused. This was hurting my thinking.

"Where are we going?" I watched Warren cross another street ahead of us, and we headed that way. I gripped my backpack tightly across my shoulder, and narrowed my eyes. "Why are we following -" I stopped my sentence, since we had paused in front of an apartment building, right in front to the one Warren just walked into.

And then it dawned on me.

"That's what he knew!"

"What?" Lash asked, looking down at me. "Who? What does he know?"

"Iono what he knows – just that it concerns you, now!" Lash smirked, taking me forward and up the rocky walkway, into the apartment building. I took notice of the "SOLD" sign in the small yard.

"Who?"

"Warren Peace!"

"Oh."

"Are you going to tell me now or do I seriously have to guess?" Lash couldn't help but chuckle loudly.

"I bought my own place, Crys."

I felt so stupid. I mean everything was around me to tell me this. It was practically screaming at me, but clearly, I ignored it.

"Oh." I smiled. "Am I allowed inside?"

"One of the firsts." He muttered, opening the door with twist of his wrist against the doorknob. There were some narrow steps to the second floor, and I dropped my bag on the floorboards as Lash shut the front door behind me. "C'mon." He whispered, turning around and standing still. I took this as a clue to jump on his back, so I did. At least I got something right today, because he began to chuckle as I gave him a peck on the neck.

"So you have your own place. Is Spencer staying with you, too?" He stretched his legs to climb the narrow steps, and he shook his head.

"Only to hang out – he's actually here already." He snorted into the air, and I felt like I was being left out on a joke of some sort.

"Okay…" I waited.

"There's no food anymore – he was complaining when I left to come get you."

"Always." I muttered, and we got to the door. He bowed his head and led me in, and I awkwardly stepped inside, turning myself around many times to check the place out.

"The front window looks out to the city – it looks like Boston, sometimes."

"What, it changes?" I asked, completely amused as I entered the small livingroom. Lash only snickered. He pulled himself into the loveseat across the room from me, and just watched me move. "Ohmigod, Lash stop staring."

"I like staring at you." My eyes closed as I turned around to face him, listening to his amused tone. His arms opened slightly in welcome to sit with him, and I took those few dainty steps to him, sitting next to him. He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"What?!"

"What are you? Five?" He took this moment to wrap his arms around me and place me in his lap, kissing me against the soft armrest. I heard the toilet flush, but I didn't think of it right away when Lash stroked my thigh, making my thoughts hazy. Slowly his fingers dipped closer into my jeans lining, and it made me shiver.

"I know it's your own place and all, but wouldja mind?" Lash tore his mouth away from me and I saw that my brother stood there, arms crossed about his chest with a stiff upper lip.

"Hiyah, Spence!" I managed to whisper, my voice a bit high and shaky. But then Lash removed his hand from my leg and I turned cold. I managed to hold a squeak back, a noise of protest. "What's goin' on?" I asked, shifting my legs so that I could get away, but Lash held me tight against him, not letting me move.

"How was school." He said, his voice dark and aware that Lash just tried to do something. I nodded my head in a few ways, shaking my hand to the side; my lips turned down in a frown. I couldn't say anything without the damned squeaky voice that I knew I was going to have.

"I'm gunna show you the rest of the place." Lash whispered, maneuvering his arms around my legs and back, carrying me away from the livingroom and down a small hall. Looking back I saw my brother disappear into the kitchen. Lash began pointing hurriedly, muttering 'bathroom', 'den', and 'my room'. To this he slammed the door behind him and locked it, closing his eyes against the wood. I giggled, and he grasped my arms to lift me slightly, wrapping me around his hips.

"You missed me too much." I whispered softly, covering his bottom lip with my mouth, sucking gently.

"Yeah, no shit. It's even shocking to hear myself say this, but I miss school." He said against me, and I felt him walking towards something. I smirked as I pulled away, feeling him toss me onto the bed behind us. I took a second to suck in the scene. The room wasn't exactly screaming out 'Lash!', but it did have his bed in here, so I thought that he'd touch it up. _Later_.

Right now, we couldn't keep our hands to ourselves.

He toppled on to me, biting my neck immediately and pulling. I closed my eyes and melted against the feeling, roaming my hands into his thick hair. But I wanted his lips against my own, wanted to feel the soft skin. Tugging his hair he pulled his face from my neck, and I pulled it again, seeing that he took the hint when he attacked my mouth. It was quiet for a few seconds, until he released a moan from the back of his throat.

I smirked against his lips. "I missed that sound."

"I'll give you more." He said breathlessly, holding my arms down and nibbling on my ear. I sunk deep into the mattress, my heart fluttering. His right hand let go of my arm and traced my leg, sinking his hand once more into the lining of my jeans. He chuckled.

Now I would have spoken at this point, asking him what the hell was so funny, but I couldn't when he just left his hand there, wrapping it around my thigh and stroking the denim with his thumb. It wouldn't be the right time, since I felt that bulge start to grow against my leg. I could only giggle, and hearing my ridiculous giggle, I laughed a bit louder, taking his bottom lip with my mouth and nibbling.

But of course, the door knocked.

And I stopped whatever the hell I was doing, feeling Lash's hand stiffen against my leg. "Don't you _dare_ move that." I whispered, my eyes narrowing as he smirked down at me. His head turned away, a pissed look on his face as he spoke.

"Whatdyu want?" He asked hurriedly, and I took this chance to bite his ear. Not nibble, people, _bite_. And he squirmed.

"Open the door. Wait, just, unlock it and cover yourself – _what the hell am I saying? –_ Crystal, if you're getting fucked right now, get out." Lash looked back at me with an amused expression.

"I'm not being _fucked_, Spencer. So I'm not coming out." I looked darkly at the door, muttering. "If I was, I'd make sure as hell you weren't around…" Lash burst out laughing at this point, and stretched the hand that wasn't in between my legs to the door, opening it slowly. He planted a kiss to my forehead and tried to get comfortable beside me, his hand slowly moving away from my leg. I whimpered.

The door opened to see my brother, leaning against the frame of the doorway. I sighed as he gave us a weary look.

"See? No missing clothes – no unnecessary bodily fluids." I said loudly, glaring at Lash when he finally took his hand away. I liked the feeling, and he had to go and ruin it. But then again, so did he, but he's got a pillow covering his proof.

I snickered, and he stuck his tongue out me.

"What are you? Five?" I mocked, and Spencer walked into the room finally.

"What's so urgent?" Lash asked him, a deep and steady voice leaving his lips. I scowled. _He_ could hold himself together simply! Why couldn't I?

"Oh, nothing's urgent. I'm just making sure I won't become an uncle anytime soon." He muttered, glaring over at me.

"Well, so-rry, Spence." I rolled my eyes. "How come you can't trust us?"

"I've got Mel's words on my mind."

"She speaks a lot of words, Spencer. Is this is crush?" I asked shrilly, but he gave me a horrified look, and shook his head wildly.

"No! That's Peace's girl, are you serious? No, the stuff she said at the hospital." Lash hit his head on the headboard, and it made a loud bang against the wall. I smirked. Oh, the ideas.

"I already told you that I wouldn't touch her till she's legal, Speed, calm the hell down."

----

"Mo-om!" Crystal whined, walking into the door behind Speed, Lash closing the door behind them.

"Dinner's on the table. What is it?" She replied, the pots and pans in the kitchen clanging as she moved things around.

"Spencer is bugging me."

"He's your brother, he's practically entitled to."

"About me and Lash having sex." She finished, and Mary dropped the pans onto the floor, turning her face over to her daughter.

"Excuse me?"

"We're not, and Spencer is flipping out about it all!" Speed scoffed, rolling his eyes as he sat down at the table, taking in a moment to see what they were having. Lash stood in the door, a smirk on his face as he crossed his arms, staring at his girlfriend and her mother.

"I told him that I wouldn't touch her till she's legal, Mom." He said, a smile on his face as he got one in return from the older woman.

"That's the way it should be." She turned to Speed.

"Boy, stop complaining. Stop being such a bitch about it." Crystal laughed loudly as the couple went to the table. They sat down beside each other, and tucked in, peering at the food on the table. "You don't have to be the overprotective one in the family." Lash smirked as he and Crystal reached for the same roll, and their hands touched. Beneath the table, though, were things that were going on that weren't exactly so innocent.

She maneuvered her left hand onto Lash's right leg, stroking it lightly, the feel of his Tripp pants giving her a numb feeling to her fingertips. He brought his right hand to her legs, sticking it there for the rest of dinner.

"Hey, Mum, did you know Lash got his own place?" Crystal asked, her head lolling back lightly as she felt Lash's index finger slide back and forth, in circular motions near her covered core. Her mother chewed silently.

"No," she turned to the tall boy. "You did?"

"It's near the center of town, really. By Peace's place." He muttered, biting into his food as Crystal trailed a finger across his pants, almost choking on it when she gripped it. Speed gave him a look, but he shook this off, looking at the empty seat at the head of the table. "Where's Michael?" He cringed, already knowing.

"Another business trip. Mary sighed, her head down. "I called him earlier today, and he said that he'll be back tomorrow."

"Oh." He whispered, looking back to the family. Slowly Crystal's hand released its grip on him, and she looked away, a small frown on her face as she placed her hand over his. Lash knew what she was thinking. Michael wasn't really ever there.

----

"He's got his own place."

"That was the surprise?"

"Yes." I rolled up my hair into a scrunchie and smiled, looking over at Layla. "And Spencer got yelled at because he kept talking about me and Lash having sex. It got annoying so I told Mom." Layla laughed loudly as the belts and the bar came down, and we watched as the bus fell from the road and into the sky.

"So what was with the outburst against Warren yesterday for?"

"Oh! He lives right _next_ to Warren! And apparently Warren realized this and didn't want to tell me." I scowled out the window as I saw the school in the sky. "The bastard."

"That, sort of makes sense."

"I know."

--

_Graduation Ceremony_

--

"Mel! Come sit with me!" I called, waving her over with a smile. The group was already sitting behind me, and Mel had to sprint across the slow people and the naïve children to get to our section. "Over here!"

She collapsed into the seat beside my mother, a smile on my father's face as he held the program booklet with all of the graduates' names in it. I outlined Spencer's name in three different colors before I even thought about giving it to him to hold.

I glanced down at the gym floor, seeing all of the males in Sky High blue, with the girls in pearly white. I scanned the many rows of the graduates, getting a bit anxious when I couldn't find my brother or my boyfriend. But then Mel hit my arm, pointing to the gym entrance. They stood alone, a smug look on both of their faces. I laughed loudly, smiling.

_"Lash, you egotistical prick."_ His eyes flew to my own, smirking. _"Love you."_ He smiled a toothy grin, giving me a wave before they were all told to get to their assigned seats for the ceremony.

I sighed in my seat, leaning back into Layla's calves. She slowly petted my forehead, and I snorted. "This is going to be fun."

Mel laughed loudly. "Oh **shit**." She bent forward, her eyes to the ground. "Yeah, it will."

-

**Alright, so that was Chapter Nineteen! It was short, but it was a bit cute. **

**Review? I mean this chapter was pretty lousy compared to the last one, wasn't it? I mean seriously – Lash dies and then gets resurrected, but in this chapter he finally buys a house. :D I'M SO AWKWARDLY WEIRD. O.o Haha. Oh, geesh.**

**Review, please? More like 5, oh how I beg of you. **

**Hey, hey another thing.**

**MY CHAPTERS WILL BE LIKE, UBER LONGER :D (Longer than the longest ones, I bet. :D)**


	20. Chapter 20

Hey everyone! It's been a bit. And all of my reviews were frightening me. I've never gotten that many so quickly, and it almost made me crawl into a corner.

There's just this one thing I need to remind you of - just for this chapter.

_**LEMON.**_

Alright? Got it? Good. This chapter is rated **M**.

But only for a little section, thank you.

-

**[Past.**

**She collapsed into the seat beside my mother, a smile on my father's face as he held the program booklet with all of the graduates' names in it. I outlined Spencer's name in three different colors before I even thought about giving it to him to hold.**

**I glanced down at the gym floor, seeing all of the males in Sky High blue, with the girls in pearly white. I scanned the many rows of the graduates, getting a bit anxious when I couldn't find my brother or my boyfriend. But then Mel hit my arm, pointing to the gym entrance. They stood alone, a smug look on both of their faces. I laughed loudly, smiling.**

_**"Lash, you egotistical prick."**_** His eyes flew to my own, smirking. **_**"Love you."**_** He smiled a toothy grin, giving me a wave before they were all told to get to their assigned seats for the ceremony.**

**I sighed in my seat, leaning back into Layla's calves. She slowly petted my forehead, and I snorted. "This is going to be fun."**

**Mel laughed loudly. "Oh **shit**." She bent forward, her eyes to the ground. "Yeah, it will."**

**-**

Layla looked at us both with confusion in her eyes. Then, as I sat and looked up to her, she smirked, shaking her head. "You guys…"

"Whup?" Mel and I said at the same time, giving her toothy grins.

"You planned something." We shrugged our shoulders, snickering as we turned back around, our legs jiggling with anticipation.

Slowly we watched the Principal step up to the podium; her shiny new white suit sparkling against the bright sun that peered down on everyone. Coach Boomer had opened the roof for such a nice and sunny day, and I grimaced into it. Too bright.

My mother was scowling at me. "You better behave." She whispered to me, and I could only roll my eyes.

This is me.

This is me, caring.

There really wasn't a difference.

"Oh, of course, Mum." I murmured, waving her peeved face away from my own. Mel rolled her eyes at me.

"Bitch Powers is talking." She said, and I smacked her shoulder.

"_Behave_, Mel." I smiled, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Like you totally will later." Mel scoffed, and I blushed.

"Shut up. No one's supposed to hear." She smirked over at me as she sucked on the blood red straw in her 'iced coffee'.

"Just gimme credit, will you? I picked out the damned skirt." She said darkly, rolling her eyes at the large group of people waiting to graduate.

"Oh, believe me," I muttered low, a smile on my face. "Somehow, you'll know you got some credit."

She burst out laughing, almost spitting out the blood in her covered cup. "That sounds so great, Crys."

"I know." I glanced at her before I looked down at the group as well, and brushed my finger over my teeth to indicate that she had a bit of the rusty-tasting liquid on her lip. Quickly she swiped her index finger over them and wiped it away, giving out a fake cough.

"And now, I'd like to introduce the valedictorian for the class of 2006." A roar of applause flooded the gym arena, and I watched as a girl with really cool hair stepped up to the podium. Her eyes were squinting out of the sun, but her shimmering red-brown hair was covering a chunk of blonde, and I smiled. She was cool.

"Hey, look, it's Myk." I whisper, pointing at the girl who breathed heavily away from the mic before gulping. "And she's nervous. Oh, Myk, it's okay!" I muttered loudly, my hand on my heart. This girl was really amazing. And she was nervous – so I automatically felt bad. If I were to be the valedictorian for _my_ graduating class, I'd probably throw up in the bathroom a million times before I could even think about getting up there and speaking. I shivered. Like I could ever become a fucking valedictorian.

She started talking about her years at the school, the friends she made, the classes she enjoyed, and she stopped entirely, glancing around the room.

"Am I on candid camera?" She muttered into the mic, brushing a hand through the bottom of her hair. "Am I being punk'd?" A few of the students in the seats on the floor chuckled, but she sighed once they quieted. Clearly she couldn't believe she was really there. "Am I really the valedictorian – or is this some really strange dream?" I tried to contain myself.

I failed.

"Myk, you're the best!"

----

Lash watched Crystal stand up and cry out, giving Myk the valedictorian two thumbs up. He chuckled in his seat, tapping his fingers together, impatient. He wanted to get out of here. Wanted to get out of this stupid…_smock_ and get off this island. Scoffing, he rolled his eyes to the empty sky, his eyes squinting as he waited for the ceremony to truly begin. Waited for his name to be called, so he could leave this place forever and never come back. Never have to worry about homework, about certain death, about the stupid teachers any longer.

He was finally graduating high school.

Julian sat beside him, his hand flying to his forehead and releasing a sigh from his mouth. "When are we leaving?" He grumbled to Lash, and the boy merely shrugged.

"Not really sure. But Myk looks like she's about to puke." Julian snickered, but Lash kept quiet – Myk was one of the girls at school that didn't lust after him. (A/N:cough: ) She was one of the cool girls; the ones that weren't so stuck up about their status. "I feel bad."

Julian chuckled into his hands. "Dude, since when."

"Since I found out she was valedictorian a few minutes ago?" Lash shook his head as he chuckled. His eyes trailed up the long risers beyond the Plexiglas, and spotting his girlfriend talking to Mel. He recalled a conversation she and Mel had on the phone the other night, but he couldn't really remember the details while he was eavesdropping. Something about a new skirt and his apartment.

"Wait, what?" he asked himself out loud, causing Julian to turn his head towards him. He shook his friend away, and tried to think.

But they were finally getting lined up to receive their diplomas.

_Yes_.

----

It took practically forever for Spencer's name to be called. Principal Powers had called the students up alphabetically, but backwards. So that it went from Z to A.

And there were a lot of M's to pass before Spencer stood and walked across the stage.

"McMillan." I growled. C'mon, kid, let's go. I need to do this!

"McBryn." What the hell? Whose last name is McBryn? I sighed loudly into the air, staring up at the sky.

"You are _so_ fucking slow." Mel muttered, a glare in her eyes as she stared down at the arena.

"Who." I managed to whisper, grasping my mother's ice coffee from across Melissa. Well, it was more sugar water than iced coffee now, but it was still something to keep me going a bit.

"Powers! He's right there, and it's taking her a whole minute to call out his name." Mel grumbled, and I looked to my brother, his arms crossed, a dazed look in his eyes. He was bored.

"Mack."

"Ohmigod, Mel." I looked to my best friend on my right, and we shared a smirk, high-fiving each other as Spencer began to walk up the stage. He told us he'd walk slowly – just because he knew Mum wanted pictures. Just because he knew she didn't want to document a blur with a rolled diploma.

We tried not to laugh as we stood tall. And at our standpoint, many people turned to look at us in curiosity, and Spencer got to the stairs, climbing them one at a time.

We danced to the Macarena. But with our own words, of course. Once he saw us, though, he took a few quick steps towards Principal Powers, handling his diploma with two fingers.

"_Go Spence – go…go…go Spence. Grab that thing and ce-le-brate!_" I breathed as Mel stopped, knowing what I was going to continue on my own with. "_Just don't hurt me when we get home!_" We turned around to shake, and saw Layla giggle, her hands clasped tightly with Will's, who was trying not to double over with laughter.

She stood up, laughing, and finished it off with a "_Cha Cha Cha!_" Will grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down before she went even further. Principal Powers stood at the podium, her mouth open and tears in her eyes. Spencer, though, was looking rather red, and ran off the stage in a way to avoid any more public embarrassment. The older woman held the mic on the podium to hide the arena from her giggles, and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

I could only smile. "Love you too, Spencer!"

----

"Ooh, that's harsh." Lash chuckled, shaking his head. "She can be so…so…"

_"Evil._" Julian finished, laughing so hard Lash thought that the boy beside him would surely fall over.

"It turns me on, kid." Lash whispered into his hands, and Julian patted his back, laughing merrily at his friend's pain.

----

Lash was next.

I was hyperventilating now, my eyes closed and my black eyeliner leaking away down my cheeks from the hot sun. I wiped my face for the 3rd time in a five-minute period, and rolled my eyes. This was getting aggravating. But I watched his every move. It took almost everything I had not to jump the Plexiglas and kiss him, congratulate him on getting out of the damned school in the sky.

Mel saw my pain.

"Crystal, get a grip. Get a hold on yourself," She whispered, careful to not have my mother hear her voice. "You'll have him all to yourself later."

"Later." I told myself, repeating it over and over in my head. "Later. I can _do_ later." I hissed through my teeth, my eyes sharp and wide as I watched Power's mouth move slowly.

"_Livingston_." I wanted to scream. I wanted to just scream and cry and shout and faint. I wanted to do a lot of things, but I couldn't do them here at the arena. Well, I could, but it'd be a sight people might not have wanted to see.

Powers got into a long monologue about what had happened to Lash this year, and I almost cried. I almost got out of my seat, slamming the Plexiglas with my hand and told her to shut up.

Wait, so why the hell am I in front of the Plexiglas now? Whoa, my hand just collided with it. _Shit_.

"Principal Powers, he's alive. But if you just keep talking about him, he's just going to die right all over again." I could hear Lash laugh as he took a few steps forward, and Powers had nodded.

"I'm so sorry, Crystal." She chuckled, waving the diploma over at Lash to come forth and receive it. I wiped the tears I thought I didn't have, and tried to turn around and go back to my seat. But I couldn't. Lash took a step onto the stage, and I held my breath as Powers waved the diploma in the air and into his palm. It gave a hollow smack, and I smiled.

My baby was a graduate. At Sky High.

His mouth moved into Power's ear, and she gave a smile, her eyes watering as she nodded. "Lash would like to thank someone special here today…" She called out. He turned around to me, and gave me a smirk as he walked towards me.

Wait, Lash, walk the opposite way! You're not supposed to walk over here! Get off the stage the other way!

His eyes were leveling with my own – but only for a moment, since he began to stretch his body up and over the Plexiglas. I took a step back, and he leaned into me, kissing me strong. I heard cheers. I heard claps all around us. I heard everything freeze, though, because with him, time stops.

"Without you, Crys, I wouldn't be here." He whispered against my lips, and I smiled, shoving him away.

"Lash cross the stage." I gave him a mischievous smirk, and pulled his chin up to usher him away. He only chuckled, but then his eyes danced. "I'll be with you later." I giggled, and he nodded.

Later. For some reason, I just didn't like that word anymore. "Aw." He joked, and I shoved him slightly, pushing him over the Plexiglas.

"Just go, you knucklehead!"

----

There were numerous parties after graduation. You could hear it across the entire town.

But Crystal had other plans for Lash.

"C'mon, Lash." She whispered, slamming the car door behind her and tugging him out of the driver's side.

"We could be anywhere – at any party – and you choose to come to my place?" He asked incredibly, shaking his head as she led them both inside. She rolled her eyes, turning around to kiss him strongly in the walkway. His fingers were entwined with hers, and she smirked as he broke away. "Ah, now I understand."

"No you don't." She said, a knowing tone of voice dripping through her lips. "You're still completely confused." They went inside and up the stairs, into his livingroom. Crystal hadn't even bothered to search for the light.

"I have an idea, at least." He said, stroking her cheek as she smirked once more at him, turning to face him. Crystal kicked off her 3-inch heels and he chuckled, watching her lose height against him. Quickly, though, she ripped off her hoodie to expose a black and white striped shirt. Low-cut. With the few steps into the room, she looked up at him with a smile. Somehow, this was going to come naturally.

"Oh? And what is this idea?" She asked, her fingers tingling his arm as he took a step, leaving him with goosebumps as he crept closer to her. Inhaling deeply she used her tiptoes to give her a bit of height, her lips crashing against his. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and his hands found themselves inside the top half of her skirt, pulling her closer to him.

"I'm lost." He whispered huskily against her, his left hand combing up through her long brown hair and pushing her even closer to him. She chuckled against him, and broke apart.

"Does this give you an idea?" She asked, tugging down on his shirt. His arms took hers in a quick step, carrying her over to the couch. When she was placed down, Crystal leaned up and tugged off his shirt, chucking it across the room. Lash looked slightly confused still, and Crystal rolled her eyes as she brushed her lips across his own.

"A slight one…" he whispered, his fingers in her hair. She growled at his confusion, and used quick fingers to remove his belt from his jeans. "Okay, _now_ I know what's going on."

"Good." She murmured, her hands on his chest, making him shiver with a smile.

"But I promised the family I wouldn't touch you till you're legal." He broke away, a slight sad look on his face.

"You never said anything about _me_ touching _you._" She breathed, mocking the way he spoke from a while ago at Olive Garden. She pulled off her striped shirt and tossed it across the room, not really caring where it landed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lash whispered, his face now buried in her neck, his eyes closed as he breathed deeply. He didn't take notice to her missing shirt.

Lash wasn't a virgin. He lost his own innocence when he was a sophomore, to a girl he barely knew. It was at a party he went to with Speed, but Lash had wandered off with Nikki – or was it Brenda? He regrets it, and had forgotten about it. Until now. It was awkward, it was frightening, and Lash didn't even want Crystal to regret her own first time. He didn't want her to regret him.

_He sat silently in Crystal's computer chair, spinning slowly, his eyes distant and weary._

"_How was the party?" She asked, her curious voice filling his ears. He tried to change the subject._

"_How was the cookout?" Lash whispered, twiddling his fingers on his thigh as he avoided her crystal blue eyes.She noticed this._

"_Something happen, Lash?" Crystal whispered, moving some of her blankets away to sit up and flatten them in front of her._

_He shook his head, looking at the wall. There was a silence of only a few minutes._

"_Tell me." She muttered, her posture now heightened, a worried look in her eyes. "Because this is scaring me." Lash watched her comb a hand through her own hair, and sigh._

"_Nothing's wrong." His face was in a frown, but he tried to spin around a few times in the chair to avoid her stares._

"_You lying sack of shit – tell me." He froze up, his lungs not wanting him to breathe. The chair stopped spinning._

"_I had sex."_

_She was taken aback by the statement. Clearly. Because she slouched a bit, and looked to the floor, a slight frown on her own face._

"_Oh." It was quiet for only 5 seconds after that._

"_Yeah…"_

"_That's…cool." Lash immediately got up from his seat and crossed the room, sitting down beside her. Crystal fidgeted beside him, and he crossed his legs, his hands on his knees._

"_Not really."_

"_Why not? You're not a virgin anymore! You should be all smiles."_

"_Crys, I didn't even know the girl's _name_."_

_She looked a little bit shocked, but leaned a bit back to where she was before. "Are you serious?"_

"_I'd never lie to you."_

"_Well you did at the beginning of this damned conversation."_

"_I was trying to avoid it." He murmured, looking away from her. He felt fingers on his own._

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Yeah, me too." He saw at the corner of his eye the shake of her head. Crystal was disagreeing with him. Or something._

"_It's okay."_

"_I regret it." He snarled at her, but then shook his head. "I regret it."_

"_Don't worry, Lash." Crystal kissed his cheek unexpectantly. "I won't ever think of you differently."_

"_Thanks, Crys."_

"Because we can wait." He said, his hot breath making her pulse maddening. "We can wait as long as -"

"Lash I know about the first girl. Do you remember telling me? I don't care." She whispered hurriedly, her hand in his hair and her blue eyes closed. "Right now, that doesn't matter. It doesn't have to _ever_ matter. All I want…is this. Right here."

Breaking his worried silence, he choked on a snicker. "Right here?"

"Maybe your room. More comfortable." His hand rubbed against her naked skin, his fingers comfortable on her stomach. She was warm. Very warm.

His eyes opened to her cheek, and saw that it was red – heat was being released from her face. "Are you blushing?" He asked incredibly, calmly tapping on her tummy as she nodded her head.

"S'nothing." She whispered, turning her face to him and kissing his forehead.

Lash sighed loudly, making her shiver. "Do you really want to do this? I mean I'm all for it, but I'm more worried about you regretting this."

"I'd _never_ regret you." She growled, her arms wrapping around his neck and pushing him even closer to her. "I'll never regret this unless you back down." She sighed. "Is that good enough?"

He nodded into her throat. "More than enough now."

----

We slipped into his room five minutes later.

And somehow, we were still in our clothes. I don't really understand _why_, we were, but I fixed that. I _totally_ fixed that.  
Tugging on Lash's belt loops, I knocked his body into my own. I ended up crashing against the bedroom door, but I liked it. Liked it a lot.

His left hand cradled the back of my head as he pressed against me, his lips on mine.

He released his hold on me. "Sure you wanna d -"

"Lash, _yes_. How many fucking times do I have to tell you?" I whispered harshly into the air, unbuttoning his pants with a smirk, my eyes not leaving his in the darkness. His mouth covered mine once again. "I want to do this." I felt his smile on my lips. "I wanna do this with you." At this point, I was already unzipping his pants and tugging them down by the belt loops. Lash's lips never left mine, but I felt his hands pull his pants off, that denim-hitting-floor sound was echoed into the room, and I giggled.

"What?" he asked to me, stepping out of them quickly and kicking them across the room. I merely gripped his waist and played with the silky band of his black boxers. He chuckled to my non-response, and held my own waist in his hands, lifting me slightly so that I'd hold onto his hips with my legs.

And then his hands raced up my thighs and onto the skirt's fabric, tugging on the two buttons to the side, fishing with the zipper and pulling them slightly down my hips.

I couldn't help but "eep!" when I felt the tingling sensation of his fingertips ride up my thigh and hold tight to me, keeping me upright and against the door.

"Oh, so you wanna do it here, then?" He asked with an amused voice, his left hand cupping my cheek softly as he kissed me, the back of my head hitting the door once again.

"Fuck no." I murmured, my arms wrapping around his neck and pushing off the door, a smirk on his face as he took a step back, his hands still on my body and carrying me to the bed. "Now if you ask again if I'm sure about doing this, Lash, I'm going to hit you." His mouth removed itself from mine.

"Abuse." He chuckled, my back bouncing on the comforter as we jumped for it. "Kinky." He sat up slightly, ignoring my little whimper, and pulled off my skirt with ease. It felt just a little bit colder, so I slid my legs into his bed, seeing his infamous smirk plastered on his face.

"What?" I asked, my hand reaching for his as he bent down to kiss me.

"You look right."

"Right?" My head hit the board of the bed as he lowered me slightly, and his body collapsed on top.

"Like you belong here." He whispered, his hand combing through my hair. My fingernail scratched his boxers, and with a twist of my thumb, it was inside them, pulling them off and to the other side of the bed, onto the floor.

I snickered as his breathing stopped. My boyfriend was finally _naked_.

"Now that isn't fair." He muttered, my eyes closing as I felt his body roll off my own and into the covers. His arm wrapped around my body, and I had arched my back, feeling his lips caress my collarbone, making me shiver, making me gasp as I felt a particular _something_ grow against my thigh.

"Why isn't it fair?" I murmured, biting my own lip as I took in the feelings I was holding.

"Because I haven't done this." His hand that held me up had unhooked my bra, his teeth grabbing the straps and tugging them away. My arms flew up over his head, and he once again used his teeth, pulling my bra away from my body, a growl escaping his throat as it flew into the air, plopping itself onto a computer chair left by the window.

I used my right hand to bring his lips to my own, my fingers tangling into his hair and tugging heavily. His head lifted high and his dark eyes sparkled in the darkness, a mischievous smile on his face.

"What are you -" His head lowered down onto my breast, his mouth taking in my left nipple. I could have been sitting up straight I was arching myself into this too much. But he felt me move beneath him, and pressed heavily into it, causing me to moan into the air as his tongue flicked it, and I was wishing that this feeling could go on forever.

Lash took his mouth away and I gasped a sound of protest. But with quick fingers, my underwear came off, and he began to stroke my sides, his fingertips digging into my skin above my ribs, as if he were counting each one in his head.

"Crystal?" He whispered softly, his left hand tracing my face.

"Mm?" I responded, my lips parted.

"I've got a condom in the nightstand." I shook my head immediately. Not on my first time. "Crystal," A growl in my throat interrupted him.

"Lash," My eyes opened to his, and he looked like he would be pleading with me – but right now all he was worried about was the growing anatomy caressing my thigh. "The days I'd most likely to become pregnant if I had sex," I said every word slowly, looking deeply into his eyes. "Have already passed." He shook his head. "Lash, please. Just this once." I could feel his breath against my cheek. "Just to know how it feels." My voice was shaking, and I grasped his shoulders. "The rest of the times, we'll use those condoms in your damned nightstand."

His right hand maneuvered its way away from my hair, and Lash slid it down my stomach, into the covers and slid a finger right into me. It was unexpected, but I arched my back into it, feeling his lips upon my own. It was a harsh kiss, like he was a bit angry with me. My chest was crushed beneath his, and my hands fiddled a bit as I felt his finger move to the side to let another slide in beside it.

"Oh…" I whispered, feeling his entire body stiffen as he bit my lip.

"Crystal." He murmured breathlessly, my muscles coming together around his fingers. He groaned and moved them a bit, and I felt my entire being shiver. Lash chuckled to himself as he slid a taste across my lips. "This is serious."

"And this is _seriously_ getting on my nerves, Lash." I moaned, feeling his member graze so close to me. So close. "Please."

"Condom." He demanded, using the hand that wasn't inside me to reach over and open the drawer. My fingers held a vice grip upon his wrist, but his fingers continued to stretch beyond my grasp.

"Lash." I muttered, my lips on his neck and my breath making him shiver, his fingers stopping in midair. "Why?"

He snickered his face low into my own neck, and I rolled my eyes. "No glove no love." He chuckled, now not so serious as before.

"Lash, are you completely and utterly serious?" I cried out, feeling his fingers inside me come out, his hand in my vice grip shrinking back to my side.

He placed his fingers into his mouth as he shook his head. Lash was licking away my insides. Sighing into the air, his hand plopped back to the opposite side, and looked down on me.

Licking his lips as he stared at my own, he breathed out. "I'm nervous that you'll be pregnant or something."

"Lash, I swear, I won't get pregnant."

"And how would you know? You know how badly and guilty I'll feel when you call me in a week and you're crying and telling me that we're gunna have a kid? Crystal, you're a sophomore at Sky High. You'll ruin your life. Fuck – _I'll_ ruin your life." He stroked my hair in the darkness, and I saw the shine of his eyes in the dim light from the streetlight.

"Lash…"

"No, listen to me, Crystal." I could only nod. "I don't want to be the one to ruin it for you. I don't want to ruin your life." He breathed slowly, and I bent up to kiss the side of his mouth, my lips resting there for a moment as I felt him exhale all the way into my ear. "We'd be too young for something like that. Too young to pass up on life like that." I nodded and pulled my lips away, his eyes staring down at me. "_That's_ why I think we should use it."

My eyes were closed the moment he finished, and I couldn't stop the soft tears leaking from my eyes quick enough. I felt his lips on my face, kissing away the salty fluid. But then I gasped.

"The pull-out method." My voice managed to release, feeling his lips upon mine. "Anything, Lash. I know I sound so annoying right now," he chuckled. "But I'm being serio -"

"This is going to hurt." He muttered, and I gave an excited squeal. "Really bad."

"Pull-out?!" I whispered, feeling his hands shift to grasp my hips. His shaggy brown hair was shaking up in front of my face, and I held my breath for a moment. His eyes showed me that he had also thought of that method beforehand.

"Just this once, Crystal." He panted.

"I swear I'll turn on to birth control pills – ahhh!" He entered me slowly, but it hurt like a motherfucker. "Oh God, oh God, oh God." His mouth covered my own quickly, his tongue in my mouth as he stiffened his entire body.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, his mouth covering my bottom lip and biting down hard, his member sliding a bit more deeply. Yet I was trying my best to concentrate on the pain he was trying to bring to my mouth. It didn't really work.

"It's…ohhh…kay." I breathed, feeling the skin pop and the blood coming through my lip. But we both knew there was another pop that happened just now.

Lash sucked in most of the blood as he slid out of me, and I shivered a gasp as he pumped right back inside. My hips moved beneath him to get him to come even closer, and my legs wrapped around his back, pulling him in. Then my muscles tightened and he moaned loudly against my lips. It felt incredible – but it still hurt a bit. Okay fine, a lot.

"Lash," I whispered into the air, his lips removing themselves from my own. I felt the warmth of my blood slide down my cheek, and his mouth moved to my neck, pulling up on the skin as he bit that as well. Quickly, he pulled himself back out, and plunged right back in – repeating this many times before I arched my back and gripped his shoulders, clawing at them to keep myself in place. "Oh my god." I cried, feeling myself release and gasp loudly into his neck. I felt him shiver immensely, his breath faltering over my shoulder, and he pulled out, releasing a loud groan as he pushed himself even deeper this time. My head hit the headboard, and it made me a bit dizzy, his body crashing upon mine over and over again, my skull colliding with the headboard.

And then _someone_ had to go and ruin it.

A loud _knock_ upon the wall interrupted Lash's next pump out. "Livingston?" My eyes opened wide. Warren? Lash froze inside me, his eyes upon the wall above the wooden headboard. My fingers were frantic upon his chest, and I gasped loudly as I heard the knock once more. "Livingston?"

"Warren?" I asked weakly, causing Lash's face to turn to my own. His eyes were wide and his head was shaking madly, as if he were pleading for me not to talk back to the pyro.

"Crystal? What the he – oh." Realization fell over his voice, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Crys, shush." Lash whispered to me, but I kissed his jawbone, falling back.

"Are we disturbing you, Warren?" I muttered out, my call out to him being slightly muffled by Lash's lips covering my own, his fingers in my hair.

Warren grunted, and Lash slammed into the wall with the headboard, his fist colliding with it, causing the sound to echo across the room. "I think I'll just call…Mel – I'll leave you to yourselves…" He trailed off, and Lash pumped out, slamming me back into the headboard as he climbed my body once again.

"Lash, stop it." I growled, patting the wall. "Okay, Warren." I giggled, and then laughed loudly, shutting up soon as Lash bit down right below my right nipple. Letting out a crying gasp, I felt his hair tickle my collarbone, his mouth covering over my nipple. "Lash…" I moaned, his fingers sliding down my skin and making me shiver.

Somehow he managed to switch my body beneath his, my head slightly off the side of the mattress as his body slammed once more into my own. "Crystal," He whispered huskily into my mouth, my arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him close. "Crystal," he tried to pull away, his eyes closed as he struggled. But he moaned loudly.

"What is it?" I murmured, squirming against him as he stiffened above me.

I felt him release a little, his face strained as he tried to keep himself in control. Not to let go. "I can't spill int -"

"Do what you think you should, Lash." I interrupted him; my lips grazing his cheek as his tongue wiped up the drying blood sliding down my skin, his member trying to be pulled out with ease. My muscles were taunting him as I squeezed them tightly, his mouth opening in a loud moan each time he tried to do what he wished.

"Crystal," he whispered, his mouth taking a hold of my nipple to tease me. I held back, my hands in his hair as I felt his tongue slide over it. "Oh, god." He groaned, pushing back inside me against my tight muscle.

"But I thought you -" I started, feeling him growl into the air, a loud, snarling sigh escaping his lips as he released. My eyes rolled back as my spine curled before him, the feeling I was experiencing was amazing. Lash's body was shaking uncontrollably against my own; his hands on my face as he kissed me forcefully, coming out.

"That wasn't exactly what I was planning." He panted, letting me wipe away strands of his hair away from his eyes. I could only nod. He spent most of the time before all this started, arguing about what he just did. Crashing his sweaty face into my chest, he breathed a soft shaky sigh, kissing the skin between my breasts. "I made a big fucking mistake."

"Lash, it's alright." I whispered, stroking his shaggy hair with my fingernails. His eyelashes stroked my skin and I knew then that his eyes closed. "Lash, even if I _did_ get pregnant, I probably wouldn't even have a baby, because I'm probably already in the process of my period. The egg wouldda fallen." He shook his head. "Well you _did_ pop my cherry, babe." I added huskily, feeling his head move to look at me through my hands.

"That doesn't mean anything." He muttered darkly. My mouth dropped open in anger.

"Lash Matthew Livingston, of course it fucking means something!" I shoved his head away from my sweaty chest and glared at him. "I just gave you my virginity, and you say that it doesn't _mean_ anything?!"

He chuckled. My eyes narrowed. "Crys, I didn't mean it like that." He climbed back on top of me, and this time, brought his hands to my wrists to hold me down. "I meant that classifying your cherry being popped doesn't mean that you're on your period."

I rolled my eyes. "Lash, I'm going to have my period _tomorrow_." He gave a snicker.

"Oh."

"So it's highly unlikely for us to have made such a _serious_ mistake." I sighed. "I already told you it would be okay." He nodded, and pressed his lips to my own strongly, the dark silence being interrupted by Warren's muffled voice.

"Hey, Mel?" There was a pause. "Hey, wanna come over? I've got the couple of the year on the other wall going at it an -"

I sniggered against Lash's lips, ducking my head down. Lash encircled me in his arms many times and we positioned ourselves back properly, a loud sigh escaping his mouth. With a small grunt, he squeezed himself back inside me, and we lay that way for a while, our eyes closed against each other's chests. I might have fallen asleep in the time being in his arms, but I really wouldn't have noticed – his fingers were calmly tracing my face as I squirmed slightly around him, his member still inside.

----

Lash played silently with a strand of Crystal's hair as she slept. Or, so he thought she was sleeping. Slowly but surely, he pulled out easily from her body, and felt her shiver from the feeling.

"That felt weird." She yawned, her knuckle in between her teeth as she opened her eyes, her fingers tapping a song that was stuck in her head on Lash's bare chest.

"Well good evening to you too." He chuckled, his face nuzzling into her forehead as she wiggled her way up his chest. With a small smile, she kissed his jawbone and ducked her head into his neck. "How'd you sleep?"

"I didn't really sleep at all, actually." Lash rolled his eyes, and slung an arm around her naked back.

"Oh, ha ha, Crys."

"What? It's only been a few minutes."

"Try a half hour."

"Really?" He nodded, and they heard an echoing door slam.

"Hey babe." Lash snickered at the new voice.

"Sounds like Mel finally showed up." Crystal whispered, her eyes seeing Lash's nose wiggle in response. They were quiet for a moment, their eyes closed against each other, until they heard the distinct giggle of Melissa Sims, the trademark roar of Warren's voice, the pyro firing himself up.

"Think we should go?" Lash whispered to the air, feeling Crystal nod profusely.

"Think so. Cause Mel'll just tell me all about it later." She sniggered, her face digging into her boyfriend's collarbone. "Oh, gees."

"What?"

"I know what happens next…" She sang, and Lash's eyes bulged, hearing the familiar whoosh of bodies smashing against a bed.

"Oh, now that's just gross." Lash even knew he was being a hypocrite.

"C'mon. Let's go before he burns her clothes off." Crystal wiggled out of Lash's hold, and he smirked at the sight of her out of bed. "What?" She ran a hand through her hair as she scratched in between her breasts for a moment, causing Lash to smirk at her.

"You're practically glowing." He whispered, stretching his arm to grab a hold of the boxers beside her, putting them on underneath the covers before standing up before her, his body towering over her. "And you're beautiful…"

She sighed, blushing. "Thank you, Lash Livingston." She looked down and then back up at him, a small smirk on her face. "You're not so bad yourself." She tapped his chest. "I'm taking a shower before I put my clothes back on." Her eyes danced as his hands wrapped around her waist, and he leaned down to kiss her. "C'mon, Lash. Lemme go." She pouted, her arms trying to squeeze out of his hold and squirm free.

"Only if I can jump in, too." He whispered into her ear, causing her to shiver. "What?"

"I remember you saying that when we first started dating." He nipped at her ear, and slid a hand up her ribs, holding her together with a thumb over her breast.

"Yeah, but then, I was just joking." They heard loud moans coming from the opposite wall, and Lash hit his forehead, causing Crystal to giggle.

"Maybe we should just skip the shower and go home?"

"Yeah, better idea." Quickly, Lash gathered the clothes strewn across the floor, but couldn't find either his or her shirt. He looked back at Crystal, who was dancing herself into her skirt, no underwear. He smirked, biting his lip. "You know, that skirt looks a lot better on the floor than on you." Crystal rolled her eyes and zipped herself up, turning back around as Lash tossed her her bra.

I thought you'd like it a bit." She crossed the room as she clasped the bra behind her, a small smile on her face. Without looking away from his eyes, she blinked. "Hey, Mel!"

Lash opened his mouth to say something, but heard the pause of movement from the other apartment. "Yeah?"

"He liked the skirt!"

"No shit. I picked it out."

"What the fuck?" Lash whispered, his hands wrapped around her wrists and bringing her closer. She merely rolled her eyes, planting a strong kiss upon his lips.

"It's nothing, Lash. Put your pants on."

----

"D'ju find our shirts?" He mumbled, tossing up a pillow and looking beneath it. Sighing, I rolled my eyes, leaving the room, adjusting my knee socks.

"Yeah." I muttered, pulling on my own shirt as I picked it up from the floor of the living room. He sauntered in, fiddling with his jeans as I used my mind to throw his shirt at his face, knocking him back a bit. "Find it yet?" I snickered, seeing the playful glare he tossed me.

"Yeah yeah." He groaned, easing his arms and his head through the correct holes. "C'mere."

"No, you're going to hurt me!" I laughed, ducking beneath his stretching arms, only to fail miserably, my feet dragging unwillingly towards my boyfriend.

"Now why would you think that?"

"Cause love hurts." I said, rolling my eyes as I gave out a knowing tone of voice. "Duh." He merely sighed, his lips pursed together as his head tilted to the side.

"Psh." He said, his fingers trailing up my arms and into the back of my neck, massaging my head gently. With little difficulty, he pushed my body into his, and placed his chin upon the top of my head.

"C'mon, babe. Let's get home."

"But we _are_ home." I blushed to myself at his words, and rested myself on the balls of my feet, my eyes closed as I kissed his collarbone.

"I couldn't agree more – but I do believe that I have more clothing within the room of my own, than the room you've got here." He tugged out the sexy, lacey underwear I was wearing earlier on from his back pocket, and swung it around his pointer finger, a smug look on his face as he bent down to kiss me.

"Make sure you count this as number one."

"What? Why?"

"I'm keeping this."

----

As they pulled into the driveway, they realized that the family wasn't home.

"Maybe they went out to eat in celebration…" Crystal whispered, scratching the back of her head, wiping an eye of sleep crust that she had missed before.

"You never know." Lash muttered, climbing out and taking her hand, walking up the way and into the house. Entering the living room, he watched her skip off into the kitchen to check for any messages left for her.

"Actually, yeah, I do. They went out to the Paper Lantern." Lash walked slowly off into the room, wrapping an arm around her waist and tapping lightly against the edge of her skirt. "Yummy." With a kiss upon her shoulder, his eyes closed, his nose nuzzling into her hair. "You hungry?"

"A bit." And with that, he nibbled on her earlobe, causing her to twitch beneath his hold. He chuckled breezily into her ear, and she squirmed out of his arms, running away, kicking off her heels.

Lash sighed as his eyes narrowed, his lips pursed. Tossing his neck side to side, he shrugged his shoulders, his teeth sliding across each other as he ran after her. "What do you want?" She cried out, running up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door behind her. Lash's nose was only centimeters from being smashed flat.

"I want you."

"Well you can't have me for dinner, Lash. I won't allow it." He let out a snicker, and smacked the door open, his eyes on her body as he caught sight of her.

"Well then we'll just have a bit of a struggle into the pot, now won't we?"

"Oh, so you're getting in, too?" She flashed him a smile.

He chuckled, his hands on her hips and his lips against hers.

"Cause that would be a bit hard – no one would eat us."

"Speed would."

"No, Spencer wouldn't know what was inside the po- never mind, yes he would."

Lash sighed against her mouth, a smirk on his face as he picked her up and walked out of the room, feeling her legs wrap around his hips as he walked down the stairs.

With a tiny nibble upon her mouth, Lash closed his eyes, placing her onto the couch and lying down on top of her, tasting the sweetness of her skin.

"Is it wrong to love your food?" He asked with a grin, feeling her arms wrap around his torso.

She shook her head. "My relationship with Olive Garden breadsticks is still going strong. But it's a bit strained since I tasted a certain Lash Livingston."

"I'm flattered."

"You should. I've never cheated on my breadsticks before."

----

The front door opened an hour and a half later, but Lash and me didn't really seem to notice – considering we were in our own little world, making out in the slowest possible way. Only when there was a long intake of breath did we have a burst of energy, a capture of lip, a quick dance of tongue. But we made our moves gradual, as if we were on slow-mo. Yet when my brother stepped through the door and stopped at the scene in front of him, my hand had grasped Lash's hair, causing Lash to remove the hand on my breast and place it on my hip. He realized they were home too.

"Alright, that's enough." A deep voice filled the room, and I broke apart from my boyfriend with a deep red glow to my face, now seeing my father in the doorway, my mother peeking her face in over his shoulder. "Come off her, boy." He called; his left hand in the air to gesture a move to get up to his feet. Lash stumbled off the couch, running a hand through his hair, his face burning.

"Hi, Michael." He whispered shakily, his right hand at his side, fingers wiggling for me to take and stand beside him. My mother pushed past her husband and her stiff son, a brown paper bag in her hands.

"I brought Crab Rangoon and eggrolls for you, Cryssy." I merely nodded, running a hand through my hair. Apparently my mother didn't care what me and Lash were doing. Not on the couch in the open.

"Oh, thanks, Mum. Me and Lash were already talking about what to grab up for food…" Lash tried to hide the smirk on his face as I recalled the conversation we had as we raced around the house earlier in my mind.

"Yeah." Lash merely muttered, the tension in the room decreasing as Spencer shut the door behind our mother, her footsteps trailing into the kitchen, the fridge door opening and closing. "We'll get right on that." I squeezed his hand, sensing that he needed to shut up.

"How was dinner?"

Spencer stared at me a while, but I didn't seem to notice this as my father left the room.

"Oh, it was good. Warren wasn't working today, though. Seemed a bit out of place." Lash coughed beside me, and I couldn't help but smirk. Even though I wanted to, I resisted the urge to sing out, 'I know where he wa-as…'

Spencer took a step in front of us, and we let our hands go, plopping down on the couch behind us. He folded his arms, and had a staring competition with both me and Lash.

Kay – now I'm afraid.

"You." He whispered, his finger pointing at Lash, a scowl on his face, his feet stiff in his place.

"Me?" He questioned, his eyes furrowing and his head tossing back in confusion.

My brother's head ducked slightly so that he could whisper what looked to be a threat. "I thought you said you weren't going to touch her until she's legal." I gasped. How did he _know?_

"Spence," I muttered shakily, brushing it off with a chuckle. "What the hell are you talking about **now**?"

"You had sex." He snarled, his face contorting into a grimace. Lash's body was frozen, his eyes wide.

"Speed, you're crazy."

"And you're fucking my sister. I say we're a bit alike, my friend."

"You don't know that." I murmured, the feeling of Lash's hand over my own scared me.

"Crys, you're practically glowing."

"What is it with me and _glowing_? First at Lash's apartment, and now -" I stopped. I gave our cover away. I just knew it. In a flash Spencer had grasped Lash by the collar and stood him up, a growl upon his lips as he glared up at his best friend.

"You fucking lied, Lash." I immediately stood up, my hand on Spencer's shoulder, my eyes closed.

"Spencer, please. I chose to do it."

"Yeah, Speed – I kept asking if she wanted to wait, and she just kept -"

"I pressured him into it. Swear, Spencer." My brother's eyes darkened as his face turned towards me, and his hand shoved his friend's body away from him. He was grimacing, and I shook my head. "Please, Spence. Believe me."

His eyes narrowed, and I could hear the question screaming in my head.

_Did you use protection?_

"No." I whispered weakly, my eyes on the ground.

"What the fuck, Crystal." He growled, shoving me by my shoulder. I stumbled back, but didn't look back up at him till my eyes were red with tears. Lash had a sense of what my brother had asked me. "Great, now I'm gunna be a fucking uncle."

My lip curled into a snarl. "Spencer Riley Mack, _just_ because we didn't use a fucking condom doesn't _fucking_ mean that I'm pregnant."

"She's getting her period tomorrow, anyway." Lash whispered, a hand flying through his hair as he stared at his best friend. I only nodded to agree with him, and Spencer sighed, the dark look still in his eyes as he turned to Lash. "Speed, I begged."

My brother looked taken aback. "Begged?" He muttered, his face practically flying back in surprise. "Holy shit, Lash." He gave a loud laugh before continuing. "You fucking _begged._" He stopped. "For what." He added, a serious look on his face.

"The use of a condom, you dolt." I growled, my fists at my sides. Breathing deeply, I watched my brother relax. Finally.

"Seriously?"

"Spencer, I hate lying to you. _Yes_, you idiot." Lash nodded his head.

"It took a while for the argument to be over." He muttered, leaning back on the soles of his feet awkwardly. He was talking to his best friend about sex with his girlfriend. His best friend's sister. Me. Gross.

Spencer grimaced, and I mirrored the action. Couldn't we just get over the fact that I wasn't a virgin anymore, and get on with our lives? I shivered, and looked out the front window.

"Now - is this over?" I whispered, turning my face back to my brother. He merely shrugged, looking around the room and peering over at the kitchen.

"So when are you telling them." He said simply, causing me to smack my forehead. I haven't thought of that yet.

"I don't know. Maybe never. Maybe when I've got a big belly and something kicking inside it, I'll tell Mum about it and then maybe she'll take the hint to tell Dad the news about me not being so young anymore." I rolled my eyes.

"Be serious."

"Probably when I'm a bit older, Spence. But I won't tell them that I lost it this year." I shook my head, and breathed out. "I'm done. Tired."

Brushing past the two boys, I ran up the stairs. "Are you having any food?"

I smirked. "Not so hungry now, babe." My door shut behind me.

----

It's the summertime now, and Lash had a good paying job. Keeping the money he received in a bank account down the road, he went regularly to cash his checks, spending a lot of time either at his apartment with Crystal (doing whatever – including sex…), or the movies, the mall.

Speed was working at the nearby GameStop, working a few double shifts and adding another application to the place where Lash was working, since Lash was getting a better amount of money than him.

Crystal, however, was enjoying her summer, working part-time at the Paper Lantern, but was trying to get in an application to the Six Flags amusement park three towns over.

But right now, Crystal was sitting in Lash's lap, watching TV, feeling his fingers in her hair, his lips on her jawbone. He saw her eyes close as her face lifted high, her mouth opening to release a breath. The fingers in her hair had always calmed her down, and she turned slowly into him, her face in his neck.

"How's the Six Flags thing coming?" He whispered, his arms wrapping around her torso to bring her just a bit closer.

"Slowly." She muttered, sighing into his throat. "I don't think they'll hire me." She scoffed. "Too young to even greet, I think."

Lash frowned, nuzzling the top of her head with his chin as he fell back on the couch, stroking her hair softly. "Didn't you put on your resume that you saved a life?" He smirked. "That always works."

She lifted her head to look at him with furrowed eyebrows. "Whose life did I save? Do you know something I don't? How is that possible – that you would know I saved someone's life, when I don't even know?"

"Me…?"

"Lash, honey, you _died_. I didn't save shit." He merely rolled his eyes and kissed her gently, breaking to rest his head upon the soft microfiber pillow behind him.

"Whatever you say, Crys."

It was silent for minutes on end, and each assumed the other had fallen asleep.

"Hey, Lash?" Crystal whispered, her fingers lightly tapping on his chest.

"Mm?" He muttered, clearly awake.

"Oh, nothing." She murmured, her voice dripping with disappointment. Slowly, though, her fingers slid up and down his chest, causing him to smile. She was writing something.

"Crystal?" He muttered, feeling her eyes on him even when his eyes were closed. This was her response. With a grab of her wrist, he used his fingers to entwine with hers, and slid their hands up to his shoulders, raising her body up against his, his deep brown eyes finally open. "I love you too."

She blushed. "I didn't know you were paying attention."

"I always do."

-

**Alrighty! So that's the second to last chapter of Comfort Zone. Mkay? Alrighty then.**

**Please review? Cause I love them, and it's good for the mind and soul. And it makes me smile as I type up the **_**last and final**_** chapter.**

**GET READY!**


	21. Chapter 21

Hey everyone. Here's the last chapter. Hopefully you'll have a _lot_ of time on your hands to read this. You might even have to read this in different intervals. Have fun.

I just wanna thank everyone whose ever read this story. It's been a pleasure. It's been great. And I've made a few friends along the way. So this, this story is to you.

Thanks.

**I don't need a disclaimer, do I? Didn't think so. (And if you're so stubborn as to think I do, go back to chapter 1.) Yeah, I own anything you're not familiar with from the movie.**

_This story is about Crystal, who is the sister of Speed, one of the biggest bullies at Sky High. She is 16 as her brother is two years older than her. Being completely stressed with school and her super ability, she finds comfort in someone very close to the family._

_-_

**Past.**

**Lash frowned, nuzzling the top of her head with his chin as he fell back on the couch, stroking her hair softly. "Didn't you put on your resume that you saved a life?" He smirked. "That always works."**

**She lifted her head to look at him with furrowed eyebrows. "Whose life did I save? Do you know something I don't? How is that possible – that you would know I saved someone's life, when I don't even know?"**

**"Me…?"**

**"Lash, honey, you **_**died**_**. I didn't save shit." He merely rolled his eyes and kissed her gently, breaking to rest his head upon the soft microfiber pillow behind him.**

**"Whatever you say, Crys." **

**It was silent for minutes on end, and each assumed the other had fallen asleep.**

**"Hey, Lash?" Crystal whispered, her fingers lightly tapping on his chest.**

**"Mm?" He muttered, clearly awake.**

**"Oh, nothing." She murmured, her voice dripping with disappointment. Slowly, though, her fingers slid up and down his chest, causing him to smile. She was writing something.**

**"Crystal?" He muttered, feeling her eyes on him even when his eyes were closed. This was her response. With a grab of her wrist, he used his fingers to entwine with hers, and slid their hands up to his shoulders, raising her body up against his, his deep brown eyes finally open. "I love you too."**

**She blushed. "I didn't know you were paying attention."**

**"I always do."**

-

"Forgive me Father for I have sinned…"

Crystal raised her eyebrows beneath him.

"Honey, you've sinned many times over."

He silenced her with a bruising kiss.

"And I haven't regretted one at all."

She merely smirked, rolling her eyes.

-

_It's been close to two years, and its now just about the middle of Crystal's senior year of Sky High. As you can see, Lash and Crystal are still together and __**still**__ going pretty strong. _

_Throughout the years, Spencer Mack had found his own place, on the East Side of town, right around the corner of the office building he delivers mail to – on foot – and down the road from his part-time job at Papa John's, where both company's are helping his college funds grow exceedingly well._

_Lash Livingston, who to this day fawns over the sight of Crystal walking down the stairs, had taken to having a job at Six Flags, giving everyone he knew all-season passes to get in real cheap. On the side, he has become pretty known for being a skilled lock-picker, and is handed a large check at the end of the week, which he puts half of it aside for his own college fund, as well as numerous other things. _

_Crystal Mack, editor-in-chief of the Sky High newspaper, is also very skilled in the game of STC –and sometimes she pairs with Will, though if Warren was still around, they would still the headmen in that department. She's come a long way from just being that girl from sophomore year, with many friends and not a lot of enemies, and has turned into Crystal Mack, that girl who does all she needs to do and more._

_And since Lash and Spencer are high school grads, since they're long gone from the teacher's log books, Crystal has been more focused on her studies. Her Math grades have been improving immensely, and she's taken the habit to helping kids with their homework after school in the cafeteria. Principal Powers took notice of this one weeknight, and gave her a smile, a pat on the back. Little did Crystal know that she was just put on the list for a potential valedictorian._

_Oh boy._

"Hey, Will." I whispered, leaning slightly to the left with the corner of my mouth tilted so that he could hear me clearly.

"What?" He muttered back, his eyes still connected to the back of the teacher's head. The bright green eyes were snapping back and forth across the room, and it was starting to freak everyone out. C'mon, it was just 2nd period and no one's woken up completely yet.

"What's Layla doing tomorrow?" I murmured, running a hand through my hair to get a tangle undone. In my peripheral vision I saw him shrug to himself, and I sighed – loudly. Without knowing. _Shit_.

"Ms. Mack, is there a problem?" The teacher squawked, turning his head around completely so we could see the dark green orbs flash across the room to the other students.

"Oh, no, sir. Continue, please?" He glared darkly at me for a moment, as if trying to see what I was hiding, but then turned back around; keeping the eyes in the back of his head more focused on me than anyone else.

Thanks a lot.

"Why?" Will grunted, his eyes on his paper before he began to scribble little men with capes.

"I wanted to see if she could do a piece on the upcoming prom for the school paper. She did excellent on the issues of global warming -"

"Ms. Mack."

I turned my face towards the teacher now, a glare in my eye to compete with his own.

"Yes, sir."

"You have something to say, now?" I smiled cheekily, and nodded slowly. "Then please, share."

"Well I was just talking to my friend William here about the school newspaper – 'tis going to be a high demand soon, for prom is going to be coming up… And I was just wondering if he knew if his girlfriend was going to do anything anytime soon, because her piece on global warming was quite charming." I lifted my head lightly, so that my nose was a bit higher than Will's eyes. "I just thought it would be nice to see if she could write another piece for the newspaper, is all."

He nodded, and then slammed the piece of chalk on the ledge. "Detention, Mack – this class is more important than scandalous news and horoscopes." My mouth dropped suddenly, my face bright red with both embarrassment and fury, causing most of the class to laugh at me before I smacked my things together, making loud noises as I stood tall.

"I'd rather you think about what you just said." I growled, my eyebrows furrowed at the man's large green eyes. "Because there hasn't been any scandalous news in _my_ paper, since maybe '03." I walked up the aisle, and ignored the shocked stares of my peers. I crossed the room slowly, but reached the door just in time. "And I don't plan on having it be that way once again, my good snob." The door opened with a turn of my fist, and I walked through, slamming it loudly so that the rest of the hall had their doors shake suddenly. I was left to grumble in the silence as I walked the corridors.

"Crystal Mack, why are you walking the halls when you should be in class?" I heard, and jumped at the voice. Principal Powers usually was running around the school now, just randomly walking into classes and checking up on everyone…but it wasn't her. "You're going to turn into me pretty soon if you keep this up."

"Lash," I whispered, my eyes closing before I turned swiftly on my heel. My eyes were still shut. "What are you doing at Sky High? Don't you have work right now?" His arms wrapped around my waist before I heard the soft shuffling of his feet against the tile, and smiled as I sensed his face in front of mine. "Why are you here?"

"I got called up by Diane."

"Who?"

"Powers." He whispered, planting a soft kiss on my lips before my eyes opened.

"Why?"

"No clue." _Kiss_. "But it's a good fault for me being here," _kiss_. " – At this exact moment," _kiss_. "– Because I caught you." _Kiss_.

I kept him still for a moment; a small smile upon my face as Lash held me tightly. "Oh." I laughed once, and tugged slightly at his hair. "That's nice." He dug his face into my neck, breathing deeply before muttering something I couldn't understand. "What?"

"I said," he pulled away, his eyes half-open, "that this is bringing back memories."

I smiled mischievously before feeling him bend me back a bit. "Really now? And what memories are coming back to haunt you?" Lash picked me up with a swift lift of my waist, and walked towards a darkened pillar, pushing me behind it.

"Ones like this." He whispered huskily, placing a hand upon my cheek and kissing me fully on the mouth. My hands wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer to me, feeling his right hand climb up my shirt and rest his hand above my bra. But then his fingers began to glide down the skin, poking in my ribs, as if he were counting them. It sent a shiver down my spine, causing him to chuckle and pull away. I stared at his deep brown eyes, and sighed, my own closing as the back of my head was cradled with his fingers.

"I miss you here."

"And I miss you there." He rhymed, wrapping one arm around my neck and pulling me into him. "So what are you doing out of class, you over-achiever?"

"I got sent to detention." I growled, my eyes on the floor.

"So much for not turning into a copy of me." Lash muttered, taking my hand and letting me swing them unceremoniously. "I'll walk you."

"You can join me, too." I giggled, rolling my eyes as I felt his teeth cover my earlobe. He nibbled lightly, but he knew it affected me because he had to catch me by the waist before my legs turned completely to jelly. "You, you really can, though."

"Nah, maybe next time." He said, turning our bodies into another corridor and tapping on a few lockers in passing.

"There's gunna be a next time you'll be up here?" Lash merely laughed, hitting the side of the wall beside him. I whimpered in response, realizing that we had reached the detention room.

"I think I'll come next week – I gotta ask her somethin' about graduation soon." I nodded, and he breathed in my skin before kissing the side of my mouth. "_Your_ graduation."

"Why, what are you planning?" I whispered gravely, now fearing my graduation to be practically fooled out by Lash and my brother. I shivered at the thought, and he grasped my arms, slowly settling me to walk back step by step into the blinding white room. "What are you planning, _Lash_, for graduation that doesn't happen," I paused, my eyes looking away in thought, "for another like what, 2 months?"

"Don't let it consume you, Crystal." He said, kissing just below my ear before giving me a quick peck on the nose. "I'll see you at the bus stop later – unless Diane keeps me for so long that I _have_ to take the busses back." He smirked at the thought, and I almost jumped in surprise. Principal Powers would make Lash take the bus back down to Earth? Didn't she have cars or a jetpack she'd have him use?

But I thought it over. How would he give either or back to her if he was settled back on Earth? _That's_ probably why he'd have to take the bus.

"See you, love." He called, laughing lightly as the door closed. I sulked into a seat, and saw his face smirking at me from the window. I put my fingers together to make a heart against my chest, and he took a step back so that I could see most of his upper body, the beatings of his heart that his hand was creating. I bit my lip as I watched him walk out of view, and sighed.

It was going to be a bit till next period. The end of the day.

----

Lash crossed his ankle over his opposing knee and folded his hands into his lap, his body tilted to the side on the comfy chair across from his ex-Principal. "So what have you called me here for?"

"There is a junior here, that tells the future." Lash merely blinked. Okay, so then why was he here? Diane smiled as she lowered her head, a hand coming to the back of her neck to massage it. "And he's told me of what you plan on doing."

Lash paled this time, and his breath stopped, causing him to lean forward slightly and fidget in his seat. "Oh, uhm, about tha -"

"I think it's completely adorable." She interrupted, a hand in the air to pause his words. "It's obviously a bit better than what happened at your _own_ graduation," Lash chuckled, remembering. "Yes, yes I know. But Livingston, are you sure?"

"I've never been more." He whispered, moving a strand of hair away from his view to stare at the woman before him.

"Have you found -"

"No."

"When are yo -"

"I'm not sure."

"Would you _please_ stop interrup -"

"Sorry." He winced, shaking his head. "Sorry, nervous, is all."

"Lash," she said slowly, leaning her face down to look at him before shoving a pile of papers aside. Uh oh. This meant business. "Must I send a catalo -"

"Please." He breathed, his eyes closing with a short nod. "I'm not sure what to g -"

"We'll figure this ou -"

"No, please, Principal Powers, I can do this on my own. I may need some help from friends, but I can do this by my -"

"Lash, keep your confidence. You'll need it." It seemed that she's dropped the subject. She leaned back in her black chair, tossing a strand of her brown hair away from her eyes. "Now that we've got that covered, I'd like to discuss with you what I've called you here for."

"So wait, that whole thing just now, wasn't it?"

"Oh, of course not! You think I'd call you up here to just gush with you about your idea? I'm sorry, Mr. Livingston, but even though I may look the type to just fawn over adorable things, I certainly do not." She smirked. "I merely just found out about that last lunch period."

Lash nodded. "Okay, then what is so important?"

"It kinda fits in with my meeting now, actually…" She trailed off, looking towards a list of names over her left elbow.

"Will you please tell me? I'm beginning to remember why I hated -" He stopped, pursing his lips as his eyes widened, avoiding Diane's face. That wasn't supposed to be heard.

She gave him a paused look, her eyebrow raised up into her forehead for a moment. "I'll skip the scolding." Lash nodded. "Alright then, well, I called you in today, to ask if you would like to sit with Crystal's family upon the stage during graduation."

"What?" He asked, completely lost.

"I've chosen her to become the valedictorian of 2008." Lash's mouth slowly dropped, and dropped. And dropped. "Livingston, I'll have to ask you to please close your mouth." Diane merely stiffened a laugh at the man before her, and Lash sat up straight in his chair, adjusting his jaw seldomly before wiggling his nose.

And then he laughed. He laughed so hard his eyes were tearing at the corners, his hands balled into fists at his knees. "You're…you're serious?" He laughed, cupping his face into his fingers before breathing in deeply.

"Yes, very."

Lash looked at her through the tears before coughing, trying to compose himself. "Well it's just that Crystal always thought it'd be terrifying to speak openly." He watched her blink once. "To an audience."

"I guess you'll just have to help her out, shall we?" She smiled, her hand stroking down the piece of paper under her elbows.

"Principal Powers, why would you ask me, anyway?"

"Because you play a big part in her life, Lash." She whispered. "And I know for a fact that she's played a large one as well to you in yours." She smiled widely. "So would you?"

"The news will be big to her -"

"I'll have to ask you not to tell her a word until the letter comes to the Mack's household Monday afternoon, please." Lash bit his lip shortly, but then nodded once. "Will you?"

Lash paused, and Principal Powers tilted her head to the side with a short smile. So _this_ could help him do what he plans on doing graduation day. He nodded quickly, and heard the bell ring from last period. It was time to go home for the students, and the Principal had stood tall, her hand outstretched towards him.

"I'm thankful you're doing this. You'll be a big help to her – I know she'll do wonderfully." She sighed, and then crossed the desk to stand in front of him. Even in her heels, she was still shorter than Lash. "Thank you, Lash." She said business-like, giving him an unexpected hug before taking a step back.

"I'm free to go?" He asked, pointing out the door and to the passing kids' heads by the window. Diane nodded with a smile, and he sprinted from the room, dashing outdoors to avoid any attention to himself.

"Wait, Lash!" He heard, whipping his face around before his legs took him to the grass at the edge of the stairs to the school. Diane was racing down the steps now, her face looking at the ground before she reached him.

"Yeah?"

In her hands held a rolled up magazine, and she shoved it towards him, unraveling it in the process. "It's a catalog – maybe you should leave this around her house and see if she finds it." Lash took it slowly from his chest, and rolled it back up after glancing at a few pages. He tucked the catalog into his deep pockets, and gave his ex-Principal a sincere smile before waving her away, stretching his legs to get to Crystal's bus.

He entered through the doors, and smiled at the emptiness of the seats, going to the left side behind the speaker for the radio. He'd have to move once Crystal got on the bus, but he stretched himself across the aisle and sighed loudly, hearing Ron climb upon the bus and sit down in his driver's seat.

"Livingston – what are you doing here?" He called with authority, his eyebrows furrowing as his right hand came up to collect his hat from his head. It was clear that Ron thought Lash might steal his hat like so many times before.

"Going home."

"You graduated two years ago, didn't you?" He lifted his head once to bring it down as he stared out the opposite window to see kids coming towards bus 4. "So then why -"

"Went to see Diane. I'll be back here next week, too. Could you drive me up?" He muttered, his eyes flashing over at the chubby man. His chin flopped slightly as the man nodded quickly, ducking his head back down to walk over to the driver's seat. With a skilled toss, Ron gave Lash his official business card, and Lash rolled his eyes as he tucked it into another pocket. "I'll be calling on Wednesday, so be ready, Wilson."

The man merely nodded profusely, and the kids began to board the bus, giving Lash weary looks as he retracted his legs, as they passed his seat. His eyes closed as he felt the catalog hit his leg a bit when he moved around, but then smirked once he saw Crystal turn into the bus. "Hey!" She called, almost running over to her seat to sit down. Lash felt the seat bounce slightly as she pounced upon it, and he grabbed her up and placed her into his lap. "Hey, hey," she breathed, clearly showing that she ran to the bus from the detention room. "I forgot to ask you about something."

He gave her a tilt of his head, and smirked. "Catch your breath first, Crys." She laughed, and ran a hand through her hair before shaking her head.

"No." Her eyes closed for a moment, and then opened to plant a kiss on his lips. "Okay. I wanted to ask you if you were coming to prom with me."

"Only if you want me too." His lips were at her temple in seconds, and he kept them there for a rest, feeling her pulse thrive throughout her skin. "Cause you can go with Mel – Peace doesn't go to school here anymore. Hell you can go with anyone." He thought it over. "Wait, no guys."

She laughed loudly, causing many students to turn and stare at her. "That's really funny, Lash." She shook her head. "Warren's going to go with her this year." She smiled. "Will you?"

"'Course." He sent a small chuckle into the air, and caused her to shiver, leaning into his body. His arms wrapped around her, but she fidgeted out, and turned her body entirely into his, and he looked at her through half-open eyes. "The straps are going down in a minute."

"I know." She kissed him hard, and he rested a hand between her shoulderblades as her hands were caught in his hair. Using his right hand he pressed her just a bit closer to him, and she gave a small giggle, nipping at his bottom lip. With skill, she pulled on the brown strands so strongly that he had to tilt his head back in ecstasy, forcing her a whole lot closer to him with just a shove of her lower back. She sent a small squeal into the air when she hit his chest, and then gasped as they both felt the straps slide down her back and hook at Lash's sides.

He laughed as his lips touched her throat. "Guess you're stuck here."

"Is that even _allowed_ to happen?" She muttered, her eyes closing as she kissed his forehead.

"Iono, lemme check." He chuckled, moving his head to the side. "Hey, Ro -"

"No, don't!" She snickered at him, moving his head to face hers again. "I uh…kinda like this anyway." Lash merely shook his head with a smile, and wrapped his arms around her back as she rested her lips on his collarbone. She breathed out onto his skin. "And hey, look, I even get to ride my boyfriend while riding the bus."

He raised an eyebrow at her before maneuvering his mouth upon her earlobe. "You have such a way with words, Crystal Mack."

----

"Get the mail, will you Crystal?"

"Geesh, I just get inside the house and you tell me to do something." I rolled my eyes from the livingroom, wondering where Lash went. Turning around I saw him reaching into the slot beside the door and take out bills and dentist appointment postcards.

"You got a jewelry catalog." He snickered, tossing it towards me as he walked by me, walking into the kitchen where my mother's voice was manifesting. "Hey, Mum?" He called, causing a smile to creep upon my face. "Where'd you want these?" He asked softly, and I looked down at the catalog in my hands, wearily walking to the couch.

There wasn't an addressee on the back cover of the book, but I opened it like it was my own anyway. Hey, no worries, right? It was just some stupid catalog.

My eyes fell upon a gold collection of clatter rings. One ring was really pricey, but I couldn't help but ooh at the opal heart, the delicate features of the stones on the crown above it. At the corner of my eye I saw Lash's head peer into the room. "What is it?"

"This, this clatter ring." His ass was seated next to me in only seconds, his head tilted over my shoulder with interest. What the hell? "It's really pretty." I looked at the price again and laughed. "Like anyone could afford this anyway." I shut the catalog and tossed it aside, but Lash was giving me an odd look? "What is it?"

That odd look, turned into a mischievous one, and he was on top of me with the next blink of my eyes. "Nothing." He pecked my lips. "I just love you." His nose rubbed my own and I couldn't help but giggle. But he gave me a hesitated expression before he lowered his voice so that only I could hear. "How do you know that no one could afford it?"

"The ring?" He nodded. "Uh, it was a lot of money?" I questioned, hoping that that was enough. He laughed heartily, and it brought a goofy smile to my face. I loved his laugh. Riding my arms with his fingers it caused my to shiver, but I kissed him because of it. "Seriously. If you, of all people, went out and bought that, I'd probably hit you and make you send it back. It's ridiculously, a large amount of mo -" My words were interrupted with his lips on mine, and he just shook his head within the kiss. But when he pulled away I didn't stop. "Money, and if you gave it to me, I'd probably los -" Another kiss. God, this was getting to be fun for him, wasn't it? Just, interrupting my sentences with kisses – damn. I don't wanna cry right now. That's what he's always done when he was still at school. It's…sorta empty now up there in the big ol' sky.

He gave a breathless moan, and I had to finish. I had to finish what I was gunna say before I forgot it all in that stupid…little…

"Lash…" I whispered, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him a little closer – _if_ that were ever possible.

And he fuckin' let me go. "You were saying?"

"Fuck you, Lash! I forgot now." He merely laughed at my whine, and shook his head as he rested it on my collarbone. And I knew his eyes were closed.

----

"Alright, let's go…" Lash muttered, impatiently tapping the cement with his foot as he waited for Ron to pick him up. It was Wednesday, and Lash was going to meet up with the Principal. And maybe just sneak in on –

The bright yellow bus pulled up to the sidewalk, opening the doors to see that Ron was in the driver's seat, a professional expression on his face as he lowered his hat to Lash in recognition. "Quick, we don't want any villains to know we're here." Lash could only smirk at this, since he knew for a fact that the neighborhood villain Leper had been in jail for the last 4 years. He merely sat down where he had before, and they sped off fast towards the highway.

--

"Livingston, what are you doing back here?" Diane said, leaning back up into her seat with interest, her hands folded upon the desk.

"I, uh…" He started, looking down at his shoes.

"You…" She pressed on, her eyes expectant.

"Could I stay for 2nd lunch?"

Diane gave him a smile, as if always welcome. "Sure, Lash." But she looked about the room. "Is there anything else?"

Lash looked up at her and tilted his head as if he were a lost puppy. "I have a stash, here at school."

"A _what?_" She bellowed, her eyes now murderous and scary.

"Not," he laughed, "not a _stash_ stash, but a stash of money I kept."

"Here? In the school?" Lash nodded. "Well, where is it, and why do you need it?"

"Well I hid it in the library back in my sophomore year." He paused, and then raised an eyebrow. "And since it's mine, I hope to not have to answer that last question."

Diane beamed a smile so large Lash feared he'd be knocked down with blindness. "How much did you keep there?"

"I'm not entirely sure, Principal Powers, but I kept adding to it every time I found money lying around the school." He didn't exactly meet her eyes on this one, since he already knew she knew where he _really_ got the money.

"Lash, that's other student's money. That's theft."

He shook his head fiercely. "No, no it's not! I saved up from side-jobs, and sometimes I'd take from the sidekicks, but, but I earned most of it. I probably have more of up to probably 200 dollars worth of sidekick money." Diane's eyes widened before she blinked many times. "That's 3 years worth, Diane. I didn't start till the beginning of sophomore year."

"Take me there."

He shrugged. "Could we take the shortcuts? That's where it all goes from."

--

And so they ended up at the back of the library, where students could find a bookshelf labeled 'non-fiction science'.

"I should have known you might have kept something around here, Lash. Always sneaking behind our librarian's nose to get back here." Diane muttered, watching Lash take out 5 books to rip apart the wallpaper. Behind that, was a small alcove, where there was a loose brick. He removed that first, and then wearily handed it to his ex-Principal, a small smirk on his face as she held that in one hand.

"And no, this isn't destruction of property." He said as he reached inside, his arm stretching slightly to stick his tongue out and look to the ceiling in concentration. "I accidentally knocked this shelving over back in freshmen year, so I found the rip in the wall automatically." Diane silently rolled her eyes, tilting her head as Lash finally retracted his arm, coming forth with a large roll of dusty money. "See? Here." Quickly handing it to Diane he switched for the brick, sliding it back into its spot and placing the books back in order.

"Lash? Wha…what are you doing here?" The striped graduate turned around to see a flash of red hair, and a girly gasp.

"Williams, if you even _think_ about telling Crys I'm here, you're -"

"Livingston, remember I'm right here." Principal Powers said, her heel tapping.

"I know." He looked to Layla. "If you tell Crystal, I'll never forgive you." He muttered weakly, knowing full well that she knew what he really wanted to say. Layla ran off giggling, and Lash resisted the urge to race after her and tell her not to tell Crystal. Again and again.

But Diane held his arm, and gave him a look. "You'll see her soon. I promise."

However, he was more worried about the roll of money in her hand. "You think that would be enough?" Principal Powers merely laughed as she glanced down at it.

"I'm sure it's good for a while."

----

"No. Way." I whispered, seeing his tall figure rock back and forth with his hands in his pockets, to the balls of his feet to his heel. "That…can't be him." I turned to both Layla and Mel. "Can it?"

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Mel said, amused. "Is that really Lash Livingston, boyfriend of Crystal Mack, valedictorian of 2008, standing at the door to the cafeteria?"

I meeped.

God, she just _loved_ to rub that in my face whenever she could. Damn best friend.

"Well go on." Layla whispered, only to be startled by the leg stretching across the room to our table. Will and Zack's tray's slammed onto the table as Magenta and Ethan scrambled to get to the bench and catch this scene.

Lash's arm rested upon my shoulder as he planted a kiss on my forehead. "Good afternoon, dahlin'." I murmured, my eyes not able to take themselves away from him. With a dizzy mind, I poked his arm, and he began to rub it in fake pain.

"Crystal was that really necessary?" He asked, biting the side of his lip at me. I shook my head, and pounced upon his chest, slamming my lips on his.

"Why are you here!" I screamed, hearing his laugh fill the cafeteria.

"She let me stay to see you."

"Powers?" He nodded. "Ahhh!" I cried, ignoring the stares of the people in the lunchroom. They didn't matter. They didn't know how much I loved this man below me. Lash held my waist tightly as he picked us both up, and set me on his lap as Mel tossed my wrapped sandwich back at me. "How long?"

"Just second lunch." My eyes dropped, and he took my hand. "I'm here for only second lunch. And then I'm off."

"Off where?"

"Crystal, eat your damned food. I'll explain while you eat."

"Are you sure you want to do that, Livingston?" Mel said, smirking our way. "She might spit it in your face if you say something unpredictable." I saw Lash give her a dirty look, and the curly brown-haired girl merely laughed loudly, sucking down on her Sky High soda cup through a straw.

"Mel shush." I grumbled, pounding the spicy chicken into my mouth ever so politely, yet ever so scarily fast. Inhale. Chew. Swallow. Try to speak.

"Crystal!" Lash growled, squeezing my hip. I almost fell out of my place on his lap, but he held me still, his eyes narrowed. "Slow it down. I have _all_ lunchtime."

_-15 minutes later-_

His lips fell over my ear, and I took in the sense, the feel of how it made me shiver, the feel of how the spine-tingling slide of his teeth made me smile madly. "Will you come with me?" He whispered, entwining our fingers together carelessly on my leg. I nodded, and said our good-byes to the table, setting off and out of the lunchroom.

Once out of the cafeteria, he took me to an empty corridor, pressing me against the wall and stepping between my legs to keep me still. "Oh, no, what is he going to do to m -" I tried to say, a smile on my face as he interrupted my damsel-in-distress voice with an awe-inspiring kiss. It was quiet for a moment, and then I placed my fingers into his hair, crunching my digits and pulling out to hear his moan. There was no better sound in the world than his voice, and this time, it echoed throughout the hall.

"Crystal…" He whispered, letting me go to plant that similar kiss upon my forehead, leaving his lips against my skin as he began to speak. "I gotta go soon."

"No." I growled, gripping his striped shirt tightly to pull him against me. "It's too soon."

He chuckled, and the husky noise had made my knees go numb. "I'll be seeing you after school – don't worry about it." I felt his lower lip come up to rub my skin back and forth, and then our fingers linked together. "Now where's your next class. I'll walk you there."

----

Lash knocked on the door, his body jumping up in excitement, his face full of worry as he looked around the neighborhood. Thrusting his right hand into his pocket he chuckled once, forgetting that he could come in and out as he pleased. He took the handle in his left hand, and stepped inside, seeing Mary halfway across the room to reach the door. She smiled his way as she backed herself into the couch and sat down in the corner.

"What brings you here, Lash?" She asked calmly, flipping a channel on the TV. He walked over to the couch slowly, folding a leg underneath himself as he sat down beside her.

"Michael home?" He said, trying to contain the shakiness in his voice.

"Yeah, sure." She looked curiously at him, and he peered over at her through his shaggy hair, his head not turning yet to face her.

"Can I…call a family meeting?" He muttered, and Mary sat up, glancing at the clock.

"But it's 12:45 – Crystal's not hom -"

"It's not to involve Crystal just yet." Mary didn't take her eyes off the boy as she called her husband into the livingroom. "Spencer here, too?" He hoped, seeing the nod in her eyes already. Lash gave her a sincere smile. "Kitchen table, shall we?"

"Lash, what is this all about?" Michael said, his hand on the railing to the stairs. Speed was behind him on the steps, and a full smirk on his face. He knew what was going on.

"C'mon, Dad. Just go to the table." He muttered, a hand on his father's shoulder to push him lightly.

"What are you planning, Lash?"

----

"Now if you touch her tonight, boy, I'll circumcise you myself." Dad said beside Mom, who was happily taking pictures. Lash gulped. "With the yard knife." Did Dad really think we'd go and do the stupid Senior Prom tradition? HAHA. Like we haven't gone and done it before.

"Uh, ha." I muttered nervously in front of my boyfriend, feeling the harsh squeeze of his fingers against mine on my waist. "Dad, that's not…really…necessary."

"Yeah, Mike." Lash breathed, rolling his neck once to let his eyes peer through. Spencer was holding back sniggers behind my parents on the couch, and I couldn't help but realize that he hasn't changed at all. He was always this way. My brother.

Goddamn.

"Could she stay, though? The night?" Lash asked out loud, causing me to freeze, my dad to stare with wide eyes.

"Of course, baby." Mom smiled, knowing that she could trust him. I smiled right along with her, but it faded from my face as I spotted the look on my father's face. It was horror-stricken. Scared.

"Mary, could I see you in the kitchen?" He muttered, holding onto her arm tightly, his eyes closing.

She nodded, but I made an excuse to bring me and Lash up to my room. We could eavesdrop while I went to 'get my purse.'

Once upstairs, I shut the door quietly, giving only a minute to waste before opening it again. "What are you listening for?"

"Dad's talking about me and you." I breathed, already nervous as to what's going on. "He might say no."

"To you staying the night with me?" I nodded. "We'd go by their rules if it really bothered him…"

"I know. But he's not really around to know what goes on between the family. Dad…doesn't know that we have -"

"I get it Crys." He whispered, holding me from behind with his hands at my waist.

"Shush, they're talking." His lips touched my neck, and his head tilted slightly so that he could listen in too.

_"Michael – he saved your life. You trusted him then, why not now?"_ Mom asked angrily, her hands on her hips. Dad looked cross, placing his hands on her shoulders.

_"Honey, it was two years ago, and -"_

_"You are in debt to him."_

His eyebrows furrowed. _Two _years_ ago. And he's a boy."_

Her voice raised, making the house shake slightly. _"He's a man, Mike. And he's been nothing but a gentleman to our Crystal."_

_"But Mary!"_

_"Oh, Mike, it's not like they haven't done it before." _He paled, and her mouth turned down in a frown. _"Not IT." _She put two fingers together to represent a circle, thrusting her left pointer finger through it. I gulped, and closed my eyes as I felt Lash's fingers hold me still. She was lying. For us.

I had told her about me and Lash's sex life only about a few months ago. Why was she lying to my father about it now?

Dad swayed slightly, his eyes rolling around in his head. He shuddered, gripping the table before whispering, _"She's a child, my love. My child – your chil -"_

Mom took a breath, her eyes closing before speaking softly. _"She is 18 years old, my sweet. She was chosen as the valedictorian of Sky High. She's saved your life, she's saved mine." _Dad began to sob into Mom's embrace, and I couldn't help but dip my head into the crook of the door. Lash's head lowered into my neck, and I heard him breath deeply. He was shaking slightly, and I squeezed his fingers gently, bringing his hand up to my lips to kiss it softly. I knew that my dad wouldn't take it well, but I didn't know that he would be so broken down about it. _"We need to let her leave the nest, my dear." _Her cheek rested against Dad's shoulder, and she gave a great heave. _"Our baby girl…she's grown up."_

"Lash we won't do anything tonight, will we?" I murmured, shaking.

He shook his head, his closed eyes sliding up my cheek to let his lips rest against my temple. "No." I turned into him, and wrapped my arms around his neck, giving a mimicked heave of my mother's that I was holding in as his hands held tightly to my waist.

----

"Lay with me." Lash heard her whisper, her arms stretched slightly into the dark night in the room. It was after prom now, and the two were already in Lash's room, their pajamas on and everything. The only thing that hasn't been completed tonight, was the fact that Lash hadn't entered his own bed yet.

He merely smirked, taking a step towards the bed to watch her retract the sheets, letting him inside. Planting a soft kiss upon her mouth he felt her smile as he slid into the mattress, and wrapped her into an embrace, closing his eyes as her legs entangled themselves into his.

"I am, I am, don't worry." He murmured, brushing hair from her face to lower his head into her neck. "I'll be here as long as you want me to be."

"Well then in that case, I want you to be here forever. With me." Lash's insides boiled with that want, and he could only sigh, placing his hands onto her hips to lift her slightly, rolling her on top of his chest to cover her entirely.

He chuckled into the darkness, and slowly began to rub her back, doing his best to make her fall asleep. "I'll try my hardest, Crystal-love." His voice muttered, and gave the air a soft smile.

"There's something on my mind that I've been wondering for a while about." Crystal let loose, her fingers tracing his shoulder as they breathed together.

"And what is that?" Lash asked, peering over to the clock beside the bed. 2:46 in the morning.

"You'll think it's stupid, Lash, so I won't say."

"You won't know unless you ask, Cryssy."

"Do…do you think we'd ever…" She whispered, not finishing just yet.

Lash's hand caressed her cheek. "Ever what?" He voiced gently, feeling the tug of her body trying to roll to the side once again. He let her do what she wished, and they lay side by side, facing each other as she creeped her body closer to his, turning her face towards him, blushing.

"Get married?" Her eyes tried to search his, her mind trying to leak through to his, but Lash immediately put up a brick wall. She couldn't know. Just, not yet.

His mouth slightly opened, and his hand lifted off her cheek to rest on her hip. "I…uh, oh – would…you want to?" He stuttered, hiding his excitement with surprise. She wanted to be his wife?!

Crystal reached up to brush some of his hair from his face and looked into his eyes. She gave him an unsure look, but spoke anyway. "I…I think it'd be nice…" She sighed, and he bent slowly to kiss her forehead. His body was shaking, but he held himself together as he wrapped himself around the love of his life.

"Well I _know_ it'd be nice."

Crystal breathed a small giggle. A laugh in relief. "You think?"

Lash had to hold in the large laugh he wanted to release, the harsh energy that just so happened to course through his veins around the newest valedictorian. "I think." Her lips were on his in a nervous chuckle and her eyes closed, snuggling closer to his body to fall asleep.

Lash definitely had to be dreaming.

--

Into the weekend, Lash lay upon Crystal's bed, toying with a strand of her brown hair as she sat on top of him, laughing into the cordless phone at something Mel had said. He inhaled her wondrous scent, kissing her roots lightly before gently pulling on the hair in his fingers. She stood up slowly, and Lash let go of the short lock of hair to feel it slide from his hands and back to resting on her spine with the rest of it. Watching her cross the room to her dresser, he tilted his head as she began to pull out handfuls of clothes.

She, Mel, Magenta and Layla were planning on taking a day together out into the city. "Hey, Lash?" He perked his head up quickly like a dog's. "Hold this while I go to the laundry room? I've got another basket of my clothes in the basement." He nodded, stretching his hand to receive the phone.

"Hi, Mel." He muttered, looking about the room lazily when Crystal left.

"_Hey, hey_." She said tiredly, as Lash stretched himself out on her bed, digging his hand beneath the pillows to cover his face with one. Yet he stopped. There was something beneath her pillow.

The catalog? He sat up straight with a grunt, and started to flip through the wrinkled pages, when he froze.

An idea struck him.

"Mel -"

"_Whup_?"

"I need you to do something for me." He could _hear_ the quizzical look on her face.

"_What?"_ She asked, curiousness and interest clouding over her boredom.

"When you go into town today, scan the windows of jewelry stores. Look for rings." She gasped. Oh, great, he thought. "Not a _single word_, Mel!" He spoke sternly, and she began to clap over the phone. "Mel -"

More claps.

"Stop doing your happy dance."

Silence.

_"Sorry Lash."_

"Just, will you?" He asked worriedly, looking back towards the door to his girlfriend's room.

_"Will do, sergeant."_ More silence. _"Hey, Lash?"_

"What is it?" He snapped, running his fingers through his hair.

_"Can I tell Lay -"_

"No. No one, you hear me? No one – oh, hey babe." He fumbled the phone, tossing it to her quickly as Crystal appeared in the doorway.

"So whatchu two talk about?" She asked, giving Lash the raised eyebrow as she received the cordless phone, pouncing upon her bed and planting her head into Lash's stomach. Even though they couldn't hear each other, the two had said _nothing_ at equal time. "Oo-kay, then…"

"Here," Lash began, taking the phone from her hands. "Mel, she'll have to just meet up with you at the train station. Love-yah-see-yah, bye." _Click._

"What did you do that for?" She cried, hitting his chest with a pound of her fist. Smirking, his left hand grabbed the fist quickly, and he toppled her over, locking her into place upon the bed. "I wanted to talk to Mel!" Lash merely chuckled, and she shook her head with a roll of her eyes. Lash rolled to the side as he felt her push him in that direction, and then managed to teeter on the edge of her bed.

"Oh, nice one Crystal."

"Shut up or we'll topple over." She whispered, her voice a pitch higher than usual.

Lash opened his mouth with an amused expression, and began to bounce, to shake their bodies so that they would start to slide to the floor. "Think we're already there, baby." He laughed, kissing her cheek before stretching his neck away to avoid a swat of her hand.

"Hey, you're cheating!"

"You use your power against me all the time!" He gasped back, rolling on top of her to plant a large kiss on her mouth. "But I forgive you." His nose rubbed against hers. "Cause I love you."

She beamed. "Love you too."

"Yeah, and the way we end up on the floor is _such _a way to show it."

Crystal could only laugh.

--

"Which one do you guys like?" Mel asked, pointing to the selection of shiny new rings in the jewelry store window. Layla immediately pointed to the far right hand corner of the box, to a green gem-filled floral ring. Magenta pointed to a violet heart, Mel sneakily chose a random one to the side, and Crystal was the only one with her finger pressed to her lip, tapping lightly as she thought. Slowly, she pointed to the one farthest back, and Mel's hazel eyes sparkled. The girls began to walk away, and Mel grabbed Layla's shoulder with one hand. "Distract Mack for 10 seconds."

Layla looked confused, but nodded. Running back towards the window, Mel whipped out her phone, taking a picture of the ring, along with the price.

Giving a final smile, she cried out only three words. "You three hungry?"

--

Lash fiddled with his cellphone, playing a game of Bejeweled as he hung around Crystal's room. It was a bit after Crystal's shift at the Paper Lantern, and she told him that she deserved a nap. With a vibration of the phone, he twitched, trying not to attract attention to himself as she rolled onto her side, taking another short rest. Lying down beside her, he checked his new text messages, the newest one being from Mel.

_Got it. I got group 2getha, come to OG._

He had to hold his breath as he kissed below Crystal's ear, hearing her exhale softly. Lash shut his phone, tucking it into his pants as his fingers tangled themselves into her hair and her hand. "Hey…" He whispered, closing his eyes as she gave a gentle moan of recognition.

"Nuh?" She murmured, jumping on the bed to turn to face him, her eyes still closed as she dipped her face into his neck. "Mmm, Lahhhphh."

Lash looked over to the clock, and then to the missing bags under her eyes. "Oh, psh." This made Crystal give his neck a smirk. "You're faking."

"Yes, well, I liked where I was." She muttered, wrapping an arm around his shoulder to giggle. "And I was comfortable." Lash tapped her scalp, and watched her squint her eyes open. "What's so important?"

"Do you wanna go out to eat?" He asked, picking her up easily to look at her deeply. "And you can't have the excuse of not sleeping well, Cryssy. You look perfect. No bags."

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "I'm not perfect." Laughing, she continued. "No one is."

"Everyone is perfect for another, Crystal Mack." He whispered huskily, kissing her lightly as he brought her down upon him. "So do you wanna go out to eat?"

"Where would we g -"

"Olive Gard -" He was interrupted.

"_Yes!_" She gasped, smiling as she kissed the side of his mouth. "You know me too well."

"It's why I'm here." He chuckled. "Now let's get going."

--

"Crys! Lash! Over here!" A voice called, and Lash's head turned to smirk. All of Crystal's friends were there, sitting at an elongated table, smiling back. The waitress looked a little stressed.

They walked together, hand in hand, to the opposite side of the restaurant from the door, to where the voice had manifested itself. "Mel! Maj, Layla!" Crystal cried happily, and Lash rolled his eyes, knowing that the girl would think that it was all just a coincidence that they all were there. Or just be suspicious as to why no one invited the two of them. _Unless_ Lash hadn't told her something.

Which he obviously did the latter.

"Hey, come sit with us, the waitress shouldn't mind, really. We already ordered appetizers." Zack said, getting up to push another table to the already-large table, pulling along two more chairs. Crystal shrugged beside Lash, and he merely smirked right along, sitting beside Mel as Crystal took his right hand side.

"Was this all…planned?" Crystal wondered aloud, pointing to the table as the breadstick basket glared deeply between herself and Melissa. Lash gulped to himself, and tried to push the basket a little forward, towards Will and Layla. But both women smacked his hand.

"Don't touch." They said at the same time, giggling and high-fiving each other when they realized what they did.

"Well, not really. Magenta was supposed to call you two an hour ago about the whole thing, but apparently she forgot." Layla shrugged, and Maj raised an eyebrow. Lash clearly knew that she lied. Whoa, Williams lied. Yet she kept her flowery smile upon her face, brushing a piece of hair from her eyes.

Now, for what he truly came here for. He just had to get Mel's attention.

When Crystal wasn't looking, Mel smirked towards Lash, already reading his mind. Slowly, she slid a terrycloth napkin towards him, and he grasped it quickly, throwing it into his lower pocket before Crystal turned her head their way. Mel looked to Layla, nodding once, and watched her stand up, declaring that she was going to the bathroom. Magenta threw her napkin down from her lap and onto the table, standing up as well. Clearly Maj knew something in all this. But what, and how much, did Mel go against her word to keep this secret?

"You coming, Crys?" Layla whispered, grabbing the brunette's hand fast to step away from the dinnertable.

"Whu…what about Mel?" She asked loudly, looking quite confused. Lash had to bite the inside of his cheek to make her move quicker. He needed to see this.

"Oh, Crystal honey, I'm fine. I'll just hang out here with the boys." She gave her friend a sincere smile, but Lash could see the urgency in her eyes. Once the three girls were out of sight, Lash ripped the napkin from his pocket, and the 4 guys crossed the table to get a good look at the contents. It was a printout picture of the camera phone snapshot that Mel had taken the day before.

Will whistled behind Lash, shaking his head at the price tag. "What, Stronghold." Lash growled darkly, raising his eyes up high into his skull, near to the right at the short boy in red, white, and blue.

"Money's big."

He was seething, now. "I can afford it." He hissed through his teeth, glaring them all back to their seats. "I can afford two of these, you annoying bastard." He glanced back at the picture, and then over to Mel. "Three, even."

She smirked, and placed a hand over his, taking the picture and sliding it into her own pocket. "I'm proud, Livingston."

----

_Meanwhile._

Layla glanced at me from the mirror, and gave me a smile. It wasn't her usual, cheery, _I-love-all-things_ smile, but an _I-know-something-but-you-won't-be-disappointed_ smile. I caught it quickly before she tossed Magenta the girl's powder that she held for her in her purse.

"So what are you planning to do after puking on stage, Ms. Valedictorian?" Maj chuckled, dodging an elbow to the ribs by me. "Gees, I'm only curious."

"Probably wallowing in my own self-pity while my family looks embarrassed." I gulped, and looked to my sallow expression. Layla was avoiding my eyes now. "Lay, what's up."

"Do you know what you're gunna say?" She whispered, making me and Maj freeze in the mirror. The purple girl beside me glared daggers at Layla, and gave a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah, what _are_ you gunna say up there. Say anything about our adventures over the years?"

"Editor of the school newspaper, maybe?" Layla said quickly, running a hand through her hair.

"Okay, probably. What's…going on?" I asked, looking from one girl to the next. Both shrugged, and it unnerved me. It was weird.

"Nothing. Just curious."

We headed for the door, and I had to brush off the feeling of uncertainty between these two.

----

"What if she says no?" He leaned forward, his face green. Speed rolled his eyes and smacked the back of his head.

"She will not. Shut up." They looked up just in time to see Crystal coming down the stairs, her valedictorian outfit flowing loosely as she descended.

"Hey, what's going on?" She muttered nervously, looking from her brother to her boyfriend.

"You're graduation-ino." Speed laughed, holding the side of the couch.

"You uh, wanna get going?" Lash murmured, standing up to take her hand. She nodded, and fiddled with her hat before stepping out behind him out of the house.

"Sure."

--

"I don't think I can do this." He heard her whisper, coughing once to grab a strip of toilet paper by her head.

"Sure you can. I remember Mykalanne almost breaking down at _my_ graduation, Cryssy…you can do this." Lash muttered, holding her hair up high to twist it into his hand. Her red face was sweaty and gross, but he kept a hand on her shoulder to keep her steady. "It'll be easy. Just, don't think of what's going on out there. When you're up at the podium, just smile, and say those lines you wrote down the other day."

"I wrote more than just 'those lines', Lash. I wrote a whole story and then some. And then I threw it all -" She interrupted herself by hacking on empty air. "In the trash, cause it was all useless shit." Wiping her mouth on the toilet paper, she stood up, and Lash gave her a sympathetic look, opening his arms to let her inside. But she grimaced. "You really wanna touch me after I just hurled for ten straight minutes?" He nodded. "You're so weird." She breathed, stepping into his embrace and holding on tightly.

"Don't let this all worry you, Crys. Just…don't." He whispered, kissing her roots and closing his eyes. If she were so worried about getting on stage, would she be all right with his proposal? Would she even be conscious?

He gulped to himself, and ran a hand off her hair. "I'll try." She murmured, breathing deeply before stepping back, receiving a shaking kiss on her forehead from him. "Alright…"Crystal looked up at him with partially closed eyes, and nodded. "I'll see you out there, babe."

"_Luck_." He whispered as she left, breathing heavily before turning out of the bathroom as well. "I'm going to need it."

--

"Please give a warm welcome to our 2008 valedictorian, Crystal Mack!" Powers exclaimed through the microphone, smiling happily as she raised an arm out to the rows of students ready to cross the stage. Lash's leg jiggled as he closed his eyes, hearing the loud roar of whoops and screams, the stomps of feet against the ground and the booming claps of her friends.

His hand was in his pocket, and Lash had to breathe slowly before turning his face over to Speed. "You'll be okay, kid." Speed grunted, hitting his shoulder.

"Just wish I could know her answer already…" Lash hissed back, opening his eyes to see an extremely nervous Crystal walk up to the podium. He only hoped she'd remember the night she rehearsed her lines at his apartment. She was so worked up, so frazzled; she couldn't fall asleep easily. The poor girl had to be held down to stop fidgeting, but somehow she took that to her advantage and managed to sneak a quickie in before she started to shake uncontrollably.

Lash shook his head at the thought, and looked to his hopeful-future-wife. "You could ask her right now…" Mary had whispered, leaning her head near his shoulder, a gleam of a smile plastered on to her features. "I'm sure you'd be okay with the Principal." He gulped, and began to play with the ring box between his fingers. The inside of his pocket was becoming hot and sweaty, so he ripped his hand from it. He was nervous – he didn't need to hold her hand and make her feel uncomfortable with his clammy hands. Disgusting.

"You'll do great, son." Michael had muttered, smacking him with a fatherly gesture, nodding his head once. "As will she, but she won't wait forever."

_"I, uh, would like to say a few things – you know, the usual type of things people are supposed to say up here…" _Oh, c'mon, Crys, he thought, almost hitting his own head. You were perfect before. Wow them here, too!

_"My friends, my teachers, they've all been a great help since the beginning. My parents," _Crystal looked back to the group of people behind her, giving them a weak smile. _"They've always been there for me. My years at Sky High will definitely always be in my heart – I found great friends, a 'career choice' -" _Many laughed. Crystal seemed a bit okay now. _"And I've had amazing adventures. I mean, defeating Dr. Cranium back in my sophomore year -" _Lash could see the hero team stand and cheer, more louder than the rest of the school. _"Becoming editor in chief of Sky High's newspaper was a great add, an amazing challenge for me. But we created some…really awesome memories." _She laughed. _"I have everyone here to thank for that. We've come this far in life, succeeding through such a wonderful school; I think its time to say that this is only the beginning. We've really, and truly, just begun."_

Lash smiled. He knew. Somehow, in the back of his head, he knew she'd say yes.

_"So now, with parting words I say, 'Look out world, here we come!'" _It may have been short, but Lash knew she was still nervous being up there. With a side-glance to Diane Powers, he watched her nod slowly. Standing, he reached down into his pocket, fiddling with the velvet box before stepping beside her at the podium. "Lash…" Her whisper echoed out into the open gym, and with a graceful fall to one knee, he heard most of their audience gasp loudly.

This was it.

Now or never.

God this was so hard keeping his heartbeat to a minimum. "Crystal Skye Mack," He said clearly, ducking his head low just for a moment as he took hold of her left hand. She was cold. Frozen. Scared. Surprised. He could feel all that in her pulse. "I've loved you for so long I can't even remember never not." She released a shivering gasp, and held her fingers at her mouth.

"Ohmigosh." She muttered quickly, and he knew she wasn't believing what she was experiencing. What _they_ were experiencing. But she had to. She had to, so that he could make her his forever.

"And with this," he pulled out the velvet ring box, and opened it with a small creak. The crowd 'oohed' and 'ahhed', but Lash didn't take notice. Only to Crystal's eyes. How they weren't for the ring, but for his own. "I'd like to make it forevermore." Taking it gently from its place in the box, he chucked the silk-lined ring box into the air, and looked up at her. Ever so slowly, Lash felt Crystal relax her fingers that he held close, and he kissed each of her fingertips, shaking. She let him slip the ring onto her third digit, and there were loud cheers. But he was more focused upon her. Her answer. She needed to give him one.

"Lash." She gasped, taking both of his hands in hers, picking him up off the stage to his feet. She kissed his mouth softly, and nodded. "Yes. My _God_, yes." His heart jumped as he lifted her into his arms, spinning her around twice before placing her back down. "Am I dreaming?"

He laughed lightly, kissing her strongly right before he replied. "No." He shook his head repeatedly, the cheers and screams of happiness just a minor buzz in the background. "No. You aren't."

"Crystal Livingston." She smiled widely, curling her arms around his neck. "It's got a nice ring to it."

"It's supposed to. It belongs there."

-_Three years later­-_

I looked around my surroundings, tying my hair back into a loose ponytail. It seemed that I sat in a park, on a bench below an oak. I smiled as I saw the familiar red hair of Layla Williams, soon-to-be Stronghold, and invited her to sit down. Yet the redhead wasn't focused on me at all – but the bundle in my arms.

There was a bundle? In my arms? Really?

Looking down, I saw the baby yawn, its arms stretching as far as they could go beneath the thickly wrapped pink blanket. It's apparent now, that this baby was a girl. Layla sat down beside me, and began to coo at the little one, but I kept looking around for other people. Sure, I knew every face – but I was looking more towards my friends. Mel. Magenta. My men. My family.

"She's so adorable." I heard Layla whisper, brushing a strand of baby hair away from the little one's ear. Yes, yes, but whose was she? And _who_ was she?

I smiled down at her, watching her wiggle her itty little nose, looking up at me. She held dark rimmed, blue eyes of steel, and dark brown hair. Layla went to tickle under her chin, and the baby girl giggled freely.

And then I saw them approach. Melissa. Maj. My girls. My sisters. And as they sat on the grass in front of me, I noticed a tiny person behind another oak, checking us out. She looked about seven, and had long wavy brown hair, nearly matching the oak she was hiding behind.

"You see her?" I muttered to the girls, lifting up a hand to point over at the oak tree. They looked back, but it was too late. Once they turned to face me again, I looked down at the baby girl. My questions kept flowing in my mind. She was so young – what was her name? Who were her parents? Hell, _where_ were her parents?

Finally, the girl behind the oak creeped closer, raising a hand to the air and waving nervously. Oh, she was shy, the poor girl. "Come! Don't be afraid." I called to her, waving her over with a smile. She caught it, and sent me one along the way as she began to skip her way over to our little group, adoring the young baby girl.

"Hi!" She waved enthusiastically, sitting on my opposite side. I smiled warmly, and thought that her pretty periwinkle eyes were really shocking. Distracting me from the child in my arms. But the little one had begun to coo, lifting her hand towards the newest addition to the group. The girl beside me ducked her head, and wiggled her fingers above the baby. "What's her name?" She asked breathlessly, only to see me shrug. How should I know? The girls around me shrugged as well, and I immediately felt stupid. For just, some unknown reason. It bothered me – so much. And when the young girl burst out with another set of words, I had to suck it all in at once. "She doesn't have a name?" Silver strands fell in front of her vision, and me, being me, had to fight the urge to wipe them away. But silver wisps of hair? On a seven year old? "Well, we'll just have to give m-her one, won't we?"

I could only nod, squealing away at the child in my arms. Lifting her lightly so that she rested upon my shoulder, I looked down at her, and kissed her cheek. It was hard to ignore that sudden urge to take her home and cuddle with her. And just as I was going to ask what she thought of names, she spoke them clearly as if I had just asked before I could even open my mouth.

"I like Auralie – much more prettier than Faith, in my head." Words had wandered from her full lips to my ear, and memories flashed before my eyes. Faith. _Faith_.

The little angel that saved Lash from going to Heaven back in sophomore year. From leaving me – all of us - forever. The little girl that possessed another person to revive Lash. The girl who stayed 7 years old for over a couple thousands of years. She had periwinkle eyes and silver hairs – that's what I remember Lash telling me once. Oh my gosh, this is Faith. _The_ Faith. But why was she here? In Maxville? Was it possible that I was dreaming?

No. That couldn't be it. 'Cause if I were, I'd have an unmelting pack of fudgicles sitting beside me – and it would never be empty. And if I check beside me, nope, it's not there. Not dreaming. Couldn't be.

I stopped looking at the baby girl, and turned my head towards who I thought it was. Glancing back towards the girl, and involuntarily gasped. Layla, hearing this, took the little one from my arms to keep her safe. Half of me wanted to grasp the baby back, but half of me had a blurry vision. "You're…you're Faith?"

She nodded. My god. This was really Faith. She was so…I couldn't say. "I thought it'd be nice to introduce myself – I _am_ going to be part of your family, soon, anyway." She giggled. "It's been written down for about a whole century now. And I was too ecstatic to not do this." Jumping up, she hugged me tightly, and took off in a skipping path down towards the swings.

I looked towards the baby now with Melissa, and watched her pass it to Magenta. This baby was my own. My own baby girl. Lash's.

"Faith!" I called, waving to get her attention. She tugged on the rainbow-colored t-shirt on her body, and fiddled the ground with her white strap-on sandals. Her arms lifted and I picked her up, hooking her to my hip before I wiped away her silver hair away from her eyes. "Is this really about to happen?"

She nodded once more, silently, as I walked her to the swings. Faith wanted to hold my hand instead of weighing me down on my hip, so I let her do what she wanted. Skipping along once again, she took me towards the creaky, yet calming swingset.

"It's just gunna be the three of us, though. For a while, anyway." She clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening at her own words. "I wasn't supposed to say that!"

"It's okay. I won't tell a soul."

Faith took to her feet; wiping down the shirt she wore, and wiggled her fingers towards me, smiling happily. "I have to go now. Bye, Mommy!" Quickly running off, she paused her steps, turning around to whisper words to the wind. "Yeah, I like the sound of that."

--

I knew I was open to both my subconscious and reality. Since I could hear the soft noises of Lash's alarm clock ticking away to my left, his warm breath on my shoulder, I knew that I was still halfway asleep. Standing above that never-ending fall of doom, I opened my arms to close my eyes, and took that tiny step away from the earth.

Jumping in the bed, I turned my body into his, groaning out my uncomfortable-ness as I tossed myself onto my back, feeling Lash's lips almost glued to my neck. It was where he could sleep on his own, comfortably, in my arms. But once I opened my eyes into the darkness, I looked down at my stomach. Could I see it getting bigger and bigger, a baby growing inside it, becoming strong and powerful?

I probably could. And according to Faith, I would. It would be her. My Auralie. No longer Faith.

Leaning my face towards Lash, I felt his hand rest against my belly. I couldn't help but smile. His fingers were soft and his palm was extremely warm. When I heard a grunt, I knew that he felt me move. I knew he was partially awake now. "Lash?" I whispered, covering the left hand that was on my belly with my own.

Another grunt.

"We're gunna have a baby."

"Mm…really?" He rasped. "Hu-family?"

"Mm…really."

----

**And there we have it. The last. And **_**final**_**. Chapter of Comfort Zone. **

**No, there will not be a sequel. No. There won't.**

**Tell me your thoughts, my dears.**


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